The Lottery or, The Adventures of James Harris

by Shirley Jackson

The intoxicated --
The Daemon lover --
Like mother used to make --
Trial by combat --
The villager --
My life with R.H. Macy --
The witch --
The renegade --
After you, my dear Alphonse --
Charles --
Afternoon in linen --
Flower garden --
Dorothy and my grandmother and the sailors --
Colloquy --
Elizabeth --
A fine old firm --
The dummy --
Seven types of ambiguity --
Come dance with me in Ireland --
Of course --
Pillar of salt --
Men with their big shoes --
The tooth --
Got a letter from Jimmy --
The lottery.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Classics

306 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1949

About the author

Shirley Jackson was an influential American author. A popular writer in her time, her work has received increasing attention from literary critics in recent years. She has influenced such writers as Stephen King, Nigel Kneale, and Richard Matheson.

She is best known for her dystopian short story, "The Lottery" (1948), which suggests there is a deeply unsettling underside to bucolic, smalltown America. In her critical biography of Shirley Jackson, Lenemaja Friedman notes that when Shirley Jackson's story "The Lottery" was published in the June 28, 1948, issue of The New Yorker, it received a response that "no New Yorker story had ever received." Hundreds of letters poured in that were characterized by, as Jackson put it, "bewilderment, speculation and old-fashioned abuse."

Jackson's husband, the literary critic Stanley Edgar Hyman, wrote in his preface to a posthumous anthology of her work that "she consistently refused to be interviewed, to explain or promote her work in any fashion, or to take public stands and be the pundit of the Sunday supplements. She believed that her books would speak for her clearly enough over the years." Hyman insisted the darker aspects of Jackson's works were not, as some critics claimed, the product of "personal, even neurotic, fantasies", but that Jackson intended, as "a sensitive and faithful anatomy of our times, fitting symbols for our distressing world of the concentration camp and the Bomb", to mirror humanity's Cold War-era fears. Jackson may even have taken pleasure in the subversive impact of her work, as revealed by Hyman's statement that she "was always proud that the Union of South Africa banned The Lottery', and she felt that they at least understood the story".

In 1965, Jackson died of heart failure in her sleep, at her home in North Bennington Vermont, at the age of 48.

Reviews

[Adam Pluszka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doskonale przykra książka o przykrych relacjach wśród zwyczajnych ludzi. Doskonała.

[R.a. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8 stars.

“Tickety-tick-tick-tick.”
—The underside of the coaster cars catch the heavy, black chain.

“Tickety-tick-tick-tick.”
—The rider jerks forward and upward, as the coaster car jerks forward and upward.

“Tickety-tick-tick-tick.”
—Closer now; and, it seems like it’s heading toward the sun!

“Tickety-tick-tick-tick . . .Tick-tick . . . Tick.”
—The car crawls toward the apex and precipice, and peeks over for just a moment.

“Tick.”
—“The drop must be 500 feet!”
—“Why yes. It is . . .”

From “The Witch” to “The Tooth,” a reader undergoes quite a journey, quite a ride—not unlike one of those thrilling, yet scary, wooden roller coaster rides while reading Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery,” or The Adventures of James Harris.

The abrupt risings, drops, and whipping turns of that ride come from the varying plots, characters, settings, and effects the reader experiences from story to story. And, the author ties together 25 stories uniting them through the character of James Harris, a “Daemon Lover.”

Sometimes, he appears as a kind old man, a bookseller.
Sometimes, he is a vicious demon behind the wall.
Sometimes, he is a young lover, giving comfort and assurance.
Sometimes still, he is only an echo, or a note left behind.

He is old, middle-aged, and young.
He is single, married, and divorced.
He is sometimes there. And, sometimes he is not there.

And, although we may recognize him by his blue suit, we really never can be sure.

And so, I feel I should provide a warning:

Once the reader begins The Lottery or The Adventures of James Harris, s/he shall not enjoy very much of a respite from Jackson’s strange and threatening world.

She continues her explorations of innocence, forbidden love, tenderness, joy, disorientation, country-city affect, as well as jealousy, covetousness, malice, hatred, and evil. For organization and orientation, (or perhaps dis--orientation), she divides the collection into four parts—each one with a preface listing particular quotations from Joseph Glanville’s Sadducismus Triumphatus, (The Triumph of Witchcraft), written in 1681.

Like a rider on a roller coaster, the reader is pulled forward toward that end story, “The Lottery.” And, like a rider on a roller coaster, the pulling and dragging upward toward that apex has such joy and terror beyond its crest.

Simply, this is a great collection.


Some readers may consider the succeeding individual reviews as “spoilers” and / or as extended “too long.”

So, the choice is yours as to end here, or continue.

Hey! Alright. "Way cool."

And, "on we go . . ."

Section I:
“. . . they all make very low Obeyance to the Devil . . .”

1. “The Intoxicated”

Jackson begins the collection with a story where the sense of menace is high. The speaker’s meeting of the precocious Eileen seems like a harsh slap in the face. With such a strident beginning, the title here becomes reflective and ironic. Additionally, this little powerhouse of a story works on two levels: the more literal, as reflective of the 1950s, the Post-World War II nuclear age, and, the onset of the Cold War, etc.; and, the more figurative or symbolic level, as reflective of the thematic threads previously mentioned. “The Intoxicated” ironically has a pulse that “sobers” the reader quickly.

2. “The Daemon Lover”

In some ways, this tale seems to contain most or all of the elements Jackson explores: cruelty, judgment, indifference, darkness, evil a hair or strand away, women on their own searching for a kindred soul, etc. And, she crafts a narrative space where the reader becomes unsure of the events unfolding. Are they real or not? The James Harris character here is young; and, like other stories, we know of him only through the paragraph by paragraph telling of the story. Because I had read “The Lottery” previously, I agree with the anthology's editor, Joyce Carol Oates, in her statement about this story being “deeper, more mysterious, and more disturbing.”

3. “Like Mother Used to Make”

This story follows a lonely, young man, projecting a kind of ideal within his small existence. Reversing roles, Jackson has both the woman to whom he is attracted and her guest “interrupt” his fine and ordered little world. One part of this little story reveals such a horrible aspect to one of the characters. It "hold[s] up a mirror," revealing an ugly ethos—that which we have confronted in others at one time or another, unfortunately.

4. “Trial by Combat”

Another short-short, “Trial by Combat,” like the preceding story, presents a woman whose small world is ruined by another character. Jackson then continues beyond reader expectation by having her protagonist participate in a situation. Hence, a suppression of truth comes from all sides. And, consistent with Jacksonian story-building, questions arise about certain facts made earlier in the story. With this consequential event, “Trial by Combat” becomes more disturbing and telling than malicious.

5. “The Villager.”

James Harris is a young man here, and acts as a kind of reflection. The protagonist, Miss Hilda Clarence, becomes involved in a little kitchen sink drama in which she realizes a life that “could have been.” And, she is forced to see herself as she was in the past as well as she is in the present. The “cruelty” here seems “afar;” yet, it really lies just below the surface—of the character’s psyche as well as the story’s narrative voice.

6. “My Life with R.H. Macy”

Although “My Life with R.H. Macy” seems a “light,” wry satire poking fun of the famous department store, it nevertheless conveys the confusion and absurdities of bureaucracy as well as the indifferent, faceless, machine-like culture that such “efficiency” produces. Written in the first person, it fits in the collection by revealing the “lost” quality of humanity in such a system; yet it does not fit in tone and / or mood. However, ending Part I of the collection, the story does prepare the reader for further "labyrinth" settings, and “city-country” conflicts.

Section II:
“We are in the Dark to one another’s Purposes and Intendments; and there are a thousand Intrigues in our little Matters . . .”

7. “The Witch”

Like “This is the Life,” this story charms. And, again like “This is the Life,” “The Witch” has become one of my favorite Jackson stories. Both set into relief corruption against joyous, child-like innocence. And both create an atmosphere of amusement and joking. Unlike “This is the Life,” however, deeper, darker connotations appear, here. The want of “freedom” is absent. And, vicious corruption as well as joy in violence take its place. The James Harris character certainly makes his presence known. Oh, does he!

“’I saw a witch,’ he said to his mother after a minute. ‘There was a big old bad old witch outside.’”

8. “The Renegade”

Sad and startling, “The Renegade” follows poor Mrs. Walpole, (no doubt, an allusion to Otranto), as she goes through her day as a “typical” American housewife. Yet, this day, she receives some disappointing news about “Lady” Walpole, the family dog. As the narrative progresses, Mrs. Walpole learns more of her family, her neighbors, and her community than she ever thought possible. “The Renegade’s” climax and conclusion are particularly disturbing and set the stage for “The Lottery.”

9. “After You, My Dear Alphonse”

Like most or all other Jackson stories, “Flower Garden” in particular, “After You, My Dear Alphonse” explores exclusion. Here, as in “Flower Garden,” Jackson constricts the lens to a particular type of exclusion: racism. Once again, convention and adult middle-class judgment arise to challenge child-like innocence. Humorous, threatening, yet joyous, this story easily pulls in the reader. And, for the linguistic-minded folks, the dropping of the “marked signs” should entertain.

10. “Charles”

“Charles” seems a classic Jackson short-short that many have had the pleasure to read in school at some point. Sans the Harris character, this simply is a great story about a “rotten” kindergarten student. Of course, with her usual flair for complications, “Charles” ends with a humorous and enlightening discovery.

11. “Afternoon in Linen”

A vicious destruction of the creative spirit anchors this enigmatic story. “Afternoon in Linen” also keeps the reader guessing as to what exists as the truth of the situation. Convention, mockery, and innocence reappear, of course.

12. “Flower Garden”

Like “After You, My Dear Alphonse,” “Flower Garden” deals with racism. And, another, perhaps more subtle racism, occurs here as well—that imported from the Old Country. The Harris character appears here, as in “Of Course,” as an influential force. And so, prejudice, ostracism, and malice pervade the lives of these characters; and, the racism seems to become just another rationalization for such subsequent, prejudiced actions. Nor are children or other innocents shielded from such. Yet, Mrs. MacLane’s most beautiful flower garden yearns so . . . yearns so to bloom.

13. “Dorothy, My Grandmother and the Sailors”

With this story, Jackson weaves a prejudice based on class and occupation. Unreasonable fear to a point of panic / paranoia becomes the driving force. Threatening yet humorous, Jackson concludes with an irony that stays with the reader.

Section III.
“The Confession of Margaret Jackson . . . Justices assent her being guilty of witchcraft declares . . . the Black Man came to her and that she did give herself unto the Black Man . . . And . . . this Man . . . was the Devil.”

14. “Colloquy”

An almost kind of echo to “The Intoxicated,” “Colloquy” begins the third section. The story, like others, plays with illusion-reality as well as the Kafka-Orwell orientation to reality—all too much for the conventional, staid Mrs. Arnold. And, her observations do raise a legitimate question for her doctor. And so, like “The Intoxicated,” “Colloquy” makes observations on two levels about “the world.”

15. “Elizabeth”

Originally the basis for a novel which Jackson abandoned, “Elizabeth” follows the titled character through one day as she simply goes to work as a literary agency associate. From the first third of the narrative, Jackson, as she does so well, reveals a schadenfreuder Elizabeth has come to embrace. Yet, as the day progresses, the reader learns of her past. In a gray, “fallen,” man’s world, Robbie, her business partner, makes a decision which spurs her to action and reflection. James Harris acts as a possible savior, here. And, the climax becomes both sad and affecting.

16. “A Fine Old Firm”

This story seems more of an “advancing chapter” for the James Harris theme. Yet, simultaneously, the story has an oblique comment—indeed, the “fine old firm” may not only be the law firm discussed, but the military itself. Simply, a meeting of two mothers, “A Fine Old Firm” has a characteristically Jacksonian air of menace with what is unsaid, unseen; and, the reader may wonder if the horrors implied would be seen if the point-of-view were from the world of men.

17. “The Dummy”

Reminiscent of Strindberg’s The Stronger, “The Dummy” reveals the psychological workings of two women as they visit a club. Unlike other stories, this story seems to reveal power struggles directly. The climax becomes startling, humorous, and absurdly ironic.

18. “Seven Types of Ambiguity”

A prominent James Harris story, “Seven Types of Ambiguity” centers on an extremely mundane action. Yet, within this frame, Jackson extends that corrupt undercurrent to human behavior with one simple, seemingly inconsequential action. The reader can speculate whether Mr. Clark is honest, or whether, in his personal actions, he, indeed, is working for Mr. Harris. Either way, such a dark statement is made with this little story.

19. “Come Dance With Me in Ireland”

Each section of The Lottery or The Adventures of James Harris ends with an apparently “light” story. And, this third section is no exception. “Come Dance With Me in Ireland” is a fun and surprising story. The story’s climax is wonderfully funny. Jackson works her usual themes. But, she ends with a much more humorous note. With the story’s end, however, one wonders whether human beings can find community anywhere. Fun, despite the dark tones progressing below the surface.

Section IV.
“. . . generally . . . our Guard . . . against . . . evil angels . . . then exposed to . . . those Wicked Spirits . . .”

20. “Of Course”

Another central “James Harris” story, “Of Course” possesses, perhaps, the most affecting sense of threat. And, one of Jackson’s most effective stylistic devices is repetition. Expertly, she plays with a particular phrase, description, or image, sometimes shifting it with each progressive mention. The title “Of Course” becomes a repeated phrase here, progressing in an episodic way as the Harris family moves into a new neighborhood. Here, it is the already established community which becomes the threatened entity.

21. “Pillar of Salt”

Meet Margaret and Brad from New Hampshire as they venture to New York City. There, on vacation, they encounter indifference, phony elitist veneer, a dizzying labyrinth, and the beast that is “the mob.” Like Wharton, Jackson writes of distinctions between New England and New York. Unlike Wharton, however, Jackson seems to favor the more rural, the more seemingly “salt[ed]” practicality of New England despite its historied Puritanism. Although the author creates situations here that, of themselves, seem comical, she gives each episode an undercurrent of deadly seriousness. And, at turns, the reader, like Margaret, comes face to face with the grotesque all around. Indeed, with the biblical allusion to Sodom and Gomorrah, we, along with Margaret and Brad, step into a David Lynch-Blue Velvet-like world.

22. “Men With Their Big Shoes”

Despite her writing of women, and from women’s point-of-view, like Edith Wharton, Shirley Jackson indicts all regardless of sex. In “Men With Their Big Shoes,” Mrs. Anderson simply is a monster. And, Mrs. Hart, (with the spelling to indicate the “hunted hart”), does all she can to circumvent a trap. Like other stories, the story’s title becomes ironic.

23. “The Tooth.”

Like “The Bus,” the story brings the reader into “a space” where illusion and reality become confused. And interestingly, Jackson begins the story with “The bus was waiting.” Once again, the protagonist brings the reader along with her on a trip to New York. As Jackson maintains a kind of anchored story for each section to the collection, “The Tooth” becomes that story for this last section; and so, Jackson returns us to the progressing James Harris plotline. Here, we reach the collection’s thematic climax as the woman protagonist finally meets James Harris. Or did she? With a kind of cadence, “The Tooth” becomes the “end frame” to “The Daemon Lover,” and like the earlier story, “The Bus,” “The Tooth” unveils a very particular kind of space.

24. “Got a Letter from Jimmy.”

Positioned as a Post Script or coda, “Got a Letter from Jimmy” simply is a “Wow!” of a short-short. Even if it were extracted from the collection, it still would shock. Positioned perfectly, just before the signature story, “The Lottery,” and after “The Tooth,” it represents the last the reader hears of James, “Jimmy,” Harris. Oh! But, how s/he does!

Like some other short-shorts, this one becomes hard to review without giving the wonderful, horribleness away. Suffice it to say, “Got a Letter from Jimmy” is wonderfully . . . horribly . . . evil.

25. “The Lottery.”

The title story has become a classic, of course. And, I cannot help but wonder if high schools still use it.

With the Hutchinson allusion, America’s Puritan past, and the Romantic Period yielding such horrific tales as those of Poe, Hawthorne, and Melville, “The Lottery” invites readers to examine our past alongside our present. And, like other stories here, “The Lottery” reveals Jackson’s ability to tell a story with both a contemporary and historical feel.

Unfortunately, because of my past reading, the surprise element seemed absent. And so, the title story became a kind of anti-climax, especially after “Got a Letter from Jimmy.”

Yet, the author’s fine craftsmanship reveals itself. And, the ending becomes the logical climax to the previously built narrative. And so, in short, “The Lottery” is a classic. And, upon reflection, I really should not have been surprised at the ending, even with a first reading.

Lastly, given the United States and the world today, I cannot help but wonder if the initial reactions of today’s readers parallel my / our initial reactions. My gut tells me, “No,” which unfortunately, ultimately, seems cynical. But then again, contemporary readers also have had, since Jackson’s time, Matheson, Koontz, King, Straub, Barker, and others still.

And, to end:

Epilogue:

Almost as a refrain, Jackson provides an addenda or epilogue by printing Child Ballad No. 243 to the end of the collection providing a final frame for the James Harris motif. And, this acts as an effective punctuation.
. . .

“’Oh hold your tongue of your weeping,’ says he,
‘Of your weeping now let me be,
I will shew you how the lilies grow
On the banks of Italy.’”
. . .

With this collection, with her other stories as well as with her novels, Shirley Jackson clearly is a meticulous and thoughtful writer.

Each of these tales easily may be re-read with varying interpretations. The effect, though, may not be so varied. Simply, Jackson, her style, her tales, and her world stay with you.

Once again, a masterful collection from a masterful writer.

[Gary Reads (garysbooksnthings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting....

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories reveal the terror of the every day, often from the POV of disaffected or put-upon women trying to make sense of American suburbia and haunted by the absurdity of their actual lives.

[Nicole Trouten · Rating 3 out of 5]

This rating is for the collection "The Lottery or, The Adventures of James Harris" as a whole, not just the individual story "The Lottery", which I would give 5 stars on its own. This collection was the strangest, most random bunch of short stories I have ever read. From 2 page conversations that end abruptly, to 25 page stories of a day in the life of a character, each story seemed to leave me shaking my head, staring off into space for a few minutes, or giggling. Yet, as random and odd as these stories were, I really did like most of them. Having only read The Haunting of Hill House by the author before, I picked up this collection expecting some scary stories. However, no ghosts or supernatural elements were active in these pages. Instead, a vague, unsettling feeling seemed to touch each story to some degree. They were not happy stories. The element of fear seemed to be implied in the mundane, every-day-life situations, rather than spelled out literally in most instances (The Lottery itself being an obvious exception). Some of my favorite stories in this collection were:
-The Daemon Lover
-Like Mother Used to Make
-Charles
-Seven Types of Ambiguity
-Pillar of Salt
-The Lottery
The masterpiece of the collection, The Lottery, didn't disappoint. Despite the fact that I knew vaguely what to expect, I still found myself caught off guard by the seeming normalcy of the day and villagers. The feeling of nervousness grew as the story progressed. I felt the villagers' fear, and the terror of the culminating event itself was only matched by the coldness of its participants. What a story.

[Kelsey Dangelo-Worth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shirely Jackson reminds me a bit of Flannery O'Connor (my most favorite short story writer), though, of course, with a thoroughly New England flavor (even when she writes of the city, it is through the lens of Vermont). Her hyper attention to detail in order to tell a character/psychology-driven narrative, is almost grotesque in nature (particularly in her affecting Flower Garden, a story of simple, painful racism in a small town--a horror story on par with The Lottery). The collection illustrates slices of life, particularly female domestic life and small town life. A mysterious, "demon lover" Jim Harris appears in a few of the stories, the themes of which are a loss of female identity. There is sympathy with the grotesque, as well as a resignation and pointed critique (without leaving the distant, observant narrator). The Lottery, the best of the stories, and perhaps the most famous short story of the 20th century, is different because it borders on science fiction. But when seen through the lens of the other stories, Jackson's highly detailed, almost journalistic narrative, packs just as much of a punch as the story of mob mentality itself. I love Jackson's novels The Haunting of Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I thoroughly enjoyed her Life Among the Savages, her very funny and sharp short stories about her children and motherhood. This collection is different than the rest, but so powerfully and cleverly crafted, and so engaging in character study, that it's obviously the same brilliant author.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully reveals the threat of daily life. In each story, niceties and sanity seem poised to be swallowed up by the ugliness that waits just beneath the veneer of furniture or behind a scrim we mistake for a view. Each story has it's own little horror, ranging from small acts of snobbery to outright barbarianism.

Ending with 'The Lottery' is quite clever, because it's the exclamation mark on the work. The ritual seems like a strange extension of the behavior of the civilized characters in the prior stories. Thus, the petty meanness of the titular character in 'Elizabeth', the innocent bloodlust of the little boy in 'The Witch', and the cruel shunning of the neighbor in 'Flower Garden', display that even modern men and women are capable of forming a barbaric society that could rationalize human sacrifice.

Ultimately, the work as a whole asks, how do we cope with, or indulge, our natural instinct for cruelty?

My personal favorite entries:
The Daemon Lover
Like Mother Used to Make
The Flower Garden
The Renegade
The Lottery

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very unsettling short stories that are still highly relevant today. It made for uncomfortable reading but these stories serve as a very strong reminder of why our societal morals evolved to where they were 10 years ago and how the pendulum is swinging very strongly back in the wrong direction. Highly recommend everyone read these and share them with everyone they know. You may feel depressed, uncomfortable and awkward and if you don't, reflect on that.

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. To me it seems that Jackson sometimes wrote things just to see if she could make a story work in an odd way. She takes normal situations and adds an element that is slightly off kilter and goes from there. Sometimes it works very well, sometimes it falls a little flat. But it is often worth taking a look to see just where she wanted to take you.

[Jason Bergman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of short stories. The titular one is the best known - and rightfully so - but I especially liked, "The Daemon Lover," "Charles," and the codeine fever dream that is, "The Tooth." Highly recommended.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. A very solid first collection for Jackson, but not very story has aged as well as The Lottery or After You, My Dear Alphonse.

[amichai · Rating 4 out of 5]

cheering and throwing up

[R.a. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8 stars.

“Tickety-tick-tick-tick.”
—The underside of the coaster cars catch the heavy, black chain.

“Tickety-tick-tick-tick.”
—The rider jerks forward and upward, as the coaster car jerks forward and upward.

“Tickety-tick-tick-tick.”
—Closer now; and, it seems like it’s heading toward the sun!

“Tickety-tick-tick-tick . . .Tick-tick . . . Tick.”
—The car crawls toward the apex and precipice, and peeks over for just a moment.

“Tick.”
—“The drop must be 500 feet!”
—“Why yes. It is . . .”

From “The Witch” to “The Tooth,” a reader undergoes quite a journey, quite a ride—not unlike one of those thrilling, yet scary, wooden roller coaster rides while reading Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery,” or The Adventures of James Harris.

The abrupt risings, drops, and whipping turns of that ride come from the varying plots, characters, settings, and effects the reader experiences from story to story. And, the author ties together 25 stories uniting them through the character of James Harris, a “Daemon Lover.”

Sometimes, he appears as a kind old man, a bookseller.
Sometimes, he is a vicious demon behind the wall.
Sometimes, he is a young lover, giving comfort and assurance.
Sometimes still, he is only an echo, or a note left behind.

He is old, middle-aged, and young.
He is single, married, and divorced.
He is sometimes there. And, sometimes he is not there.

And, although we may recognize him by his blue suit, we really never can be sure.

And so, I feel I should provide a warning:

Once the reader begins The Lottery or The Adventures of James Harris, s/he shall not enjoy very much of a respite from Jackson’s strange and threatening world.

She continues her explorations of innocence, forbidden love, tenderness, joy, disorientation, country-city affect, as well as jealousy, covetousness, malice, hatred, and evil. For organization and orientation, (or perhaps dis--orientation), she divides the collection into four parts—each one with a preface listing particular quotations from Joseph Glanville’s Sadducismus Triumphatus, (The Triumph of Witchcraft), written in 1681.

Like a rider on a roller coaster, the reader is pulled forward toward that end story, “The Lottery.” And, like a rider on a roller coaster, the pulling and dragging upward toward that apex has such joy and terror beyond its crest.

Simply, this is a great collection.


Some readers may consider the succeeding individual reviews as “spoilers” and / or as extended “too long.”

So, the choice is yours as to end here, or continue.

Hey! Alright. "Way cool."

And, "on we go . . ."

Section I:
“. . . they all make very low Obeyance to the Devil . . .”

1. “The Intoxicated”

Jackson begins the collection with a story where the sense of menace is high. The speaker’s meeting of the precocious Eileen seems like a harsh slap in the face. With such a strident beginning, the title here becomes reflective and ironic. Additionally, this little powerhouse of a story works on two levels: the more literal, as reflective of the 1950s, the Post-World War II nuclear age, and, the onset of the Cold War, etc.; and, the more figurative or symbolic level, as reflective of the thematic threads previously mentioned. “The Intoxicated” ironically has a pulse that “sobers” the reader quickly.

2. “The Daemon Lover”

In some ways, this tale seems to contain most or all of the elements Jackson explores: cruelty, judgment, indifference, darkness, evil a hair or strand away, women on their own searching for a kindred soul, etc. And, she crafts a narrative space where the reader becomes unsure of the events unfolding. Are they real or not? The James Harris character here is young; and, like other stories, we know of him only through the paragraph by paragraph telling of the story. Because I had read “The Lottery” previously, I agree with the anthology's editor, Joyce Carol Oates, in her statement about this story being “deeper, more mysterious, and more disturbing.”

3. “Like Mother Used to Make”

This story follows a lonely, young man, projecting a kind of ideal within his small existence. Reversing roles, Jackson has both the woman to whom he is attracted and her guest “interrupt” his fine and ordered little world. One part of this little story reveals such a horrible aspect to one of the characters. It "hold[s] up a mirror," revealing an ugly ethos—that which we have confronted in others at one time or another, unfortunately.

4. “Trial by Combat”

Another short-short, “Trial by Combat,” like the preceding story, presents a woman whose small world is ruined by another character. Jackson then continues beyond reader expectation by having her protagonist participate in a situation. Hence, a suppression of truth comes from all sides. And, consistent with Jacksonian story-building, questions arise about certain facts made earlier in the story. With this consequential event, “Trial by Combat” becomes more disturbing and telling than malicious.

5. “The Villager.”

James Harris is a young man here, and acts as a kind of reflection. The protagonist, Miss Hilda Clarence, becomes involved in a little kitchen sink drama in which she realizes a life that “could have been.” And, she is forced to see herself as she was in the past as well as she is in the present. The “cruelty” here seems “afar;” yet, it really lies just below the surface—of the character’s psyche as well as the story’s narrative voice.

6. “My Life with R.H. Macy”

Although “My Life with R.H. Macy” seems a “light,” wry satire poking fun of the famous department store, it nevertheless conveys the confusion and absurdities of bureaucracy as well as the indifferent, faceless, machine-like culture that such “efficiency” produces. Written in the first person, it fits in the collection by revealing the “lost” quality of humanity in such a system; yet it does not fit in tone and / or mood. However, ending Part I of the collection, the story does prepare the reader for further "labyrinth" settings, and “city-country” conflicts.

Section II:
“We are in the Dark to one another’s Purposes and Intendments; and there are a thousand Intrigues in our little Matters . . .”

7. “The Witch”

Like “This is the Life,” this story charms. And, again like “This is the Life,” “The Witch” has become one of my favorite Jackson stories. Both set into relief corruption against joyous, child-like innocence. And both create an atmosphere of amusement and joking. Unlike “This is the Life,” however, deeper, darker connotations appear, here. The want of “freedom” is absent. And, vicious corruption as well as joy in violence take its place. The James Harris character certainly makes his presence known. Oh, does he!

“’I saw a witch,’ he said to his mother after a minute. ‘There was a big old bad old witch outside.’”

8. “The Renegade”

Sad and startling, “The Renegade” follows poor Mrs. Walpole, (no doubt, an allusion to Otranto), as she goes through her day as a “typical” American housewife. Yet, this day, she receives some disappointing news about “Lady” Walpole, the family dog. As the narrative progresses, Mrs. Walpole learns more of her family, her neighbors, and her community than she ever thought possible. “The Renegade’s” climax and conclusion are particularly disturbing and set the stage for “The Lottery.”

9. “After You, My Dear Alphonse”

Like most or all other Jackson stories, “Flower Garden” in particular, “After You, My Dear Alphonse” explores exclusion. Here, as in “Flower Garden,” Jackson constricts the lens to a particular type of exclusion: racism. Once again, convention and adult middle-class judgment arise to challenge child-like innocence. Humorous, threatening, yet joyous, this story easily pulls in the reader. And, for the linguistic-minded folks, the dropping of the “marked signs” should entertain.

10. “Charles”

“Charles” seems a classic Jackson short-short that many have had the pleasure to read in school at some point. Sans the Harris character, this simply is a great story about a “rotten” kindergarten student. Of course, with her usual flair for complications, “Charles” ends with a humorous and enlightening discovery.

11. “Afternoon in Linen”

A vicious destruction of the creative spirit anchors this enigmatic story. “Afternoon in Linen” also keeps the reader guessing as to what exists as the truth of the situation. Convention, mockery, and innocence reappear, of course.

12. “Flower Garden”

Like “After You, My Dear Alphonse,” “Flower Garden” deals with racism. And, another, perhaps more subtle racism, occurs here as well—that imported from the Old Country. The Harris character appears here, as in “Of Course,” as an influential force. And so, prejudice, ostracism, and malice pervade the lives of these characters; and, the racism seems to become just another rationalization for such subsequent, prejudiced actions. Nor are children or other innocents shielded from such. Yet, Mrs. MacLane’s most beautiful flower garden yearns so . . . yearns so to bloom.

13. “Dorothy, My Grandmother and the Sailors”

With this story, Jackson weaves a prejudice based on class and occupation. Unreasonable fear to a point of panic / paranoia becomes the driving force. Threatening yet humorous, Jackson concludes with an irony that stays with the reader.

Section III.
“The Confession of Margaret Jackson . . . Justices assent her being guilty of witchcraft declares . . . the Black Man came to her and that she did give herself unto the Black Man . . . And . . . this Man . . . was the Devil.”

14. “Colloquy”

An almost kind of echo to “The Intoxicated,” “Colloquy” begins the third section. The story, like others, plays with illusion-reality as well as the Kafka-Orwell orientation to reality—all too much for the conventional, staid Mrs. Arnold. And, her observations do raise a legitimate question for her doctor. And so, like “The Intoxicated,” “Colloquy” makes observations on two levels about “the world.”

15. “Elizabeth”

Originally the basis for a novel which Jackson abandoned, “Elizabeth” follows the titled character through one day as she simply goes to work as a literary agency associate. From the first third of the narrative, Jackson, as she does so well, reveals a schadenfreuder Elizabeth has come to embrace. Yet, as the day progresses, the reader learns of her past. In a gray, “fallen,” man’s world, Robbie, her business partner, makes a decision which spurs her to action and reflection. James Harris acts as a possible savior, here. And, the climax becomes both sad and affecting.

16. “A Fine Old Firm”

This story seems more of an “advancing chapter” for the James Harris theme. Yet, simultaneously, the story has an oblique comment—indeed, the “fine old firm” may not only be the law firm discussed, but the military itself. Simply, a meeting of two mothers, “A Fine Old Firm” has a characteristically Jacksonian air of menace with what is unsaid, unseen; and, the reader may wonder if the horrors implied would be seen if the point-of-view were from the world of men.

17. “The Dummy”

Reminiscent of Strindberg’s The Stronger, “The Dummy” reveals the psychological workings of two women as they visit a club. Unlike other stories, this story seems to reveal power struggles directly. The climax becomes startling, humorous, and absurdly ironic.

18. “Seven Types of Ambiguity”

A prominent James Harris story, “Seven Types of Ambiguity” centers on an extremely mundane action. Yet, within this frame, Jackson extends that corrupt undercurrent to human behavior with one simple, seemingly inconsequential action. The reader can speculate whether Mr. Clark is honest, or whether, in his personal actions, he, indeed, is working for Mr. Harris. Either way, such a dark statement is made with this little story.

19. “Come Dance With Me in Ireland”

Each section of The Lottery or The Adventures of James Harris ends with an apparently “light” story. And, this third section is no exception. “Come Dance With Me in Ireland” is a fun and surprising story. The story’s climax is wonderfully funny. Jackson works her usual themes. But, she ends with a much more humorous note. With the story’s end, however, one wonders whether human beings can find community anywhere. Fun, despite the dark tones progressing below the surface.

Section IV.
“. . . generally . . . our Guard . . . against . . . evil angels . . . then exposed to . . . those Wicked Spirits . . .”

20. “Of Course”

Another central “James Harris” story, “Of Course” possesses, perhaps, the most affecting sense of threat. And, one of Jackson’s most effective stylistic devices is repetition. Expertly, she plays with a particular phrase, description, or image, sometimes shifting it with each progressive mention. The title “Of Course” becomes a repeated phrase here, progressing in an episodic way as the Harris family moves into a new neighborhood. Here, it is the already established community which becomes the threatened entity.

21. “Pillar of Salt”

Meet Margaret and Brad from New Hampshire as they venture to New York City. There, on vacation, they encounter indifference, phony elitist veneer, a dizzying labyrinth, and the beast that is “the mob.” Like Wharton, Jackson writes of distinctions between New England and New York. Unlike Wharton, however, Jackson seems to favor the more rural, the more seemingly “salt[ed]” practicality of New England despite its historied Puritanism. Although the author creates situations here that, of themselves, seem comical, she gives each episode an undercurrent of deadly seriousness. And, at turns, the reader, like Margaret, comes face to face with the grotesque all around. Indeed, with the biblical allusion to Sodom and Gomorrah, we, along with Margaret and Brad, step into a David Lynch-Blue Velvet-like world.

22. “Men With Their Big Shoes”

Despite her writing of women, and from women’s point-of-view, like Edith Wharton, Shirley Jackson indicts all regardless of sex. In “Men With Their Big Shoes,” Mrs. Anderson simply is a monster. And, Mrs. Hart, (with the spelling to indicate the “hunted hart”), does all she can to circumvent a trap. Like other stories, the story’s title becomes ironic.

23. “The Tooth.”

Like “The Bus,” the story brings the reader into “a space” where illusion and reality become confused. And interestingly, Jackson begins the story with “The bus was waiting.” Once again, the protagonist brings the reader along with her on a trip to New York. As Jackson maintains a kind of anchored story for each section to the collection, “The Tooth” becomes that story for this last section; and so, Jackson returns us to the progressing James Harris plotline. Here, we reach the collection’s thematic climax as the woman protagonist finally meets James Harris. Or did she? With a kind of cadence, “The Tooth” becomes the “end frame” to “The Daemon Lover,” and like the earlier story, “The Bus,” “The Tooth” unveils a very particular kind of space.

24. “Got a Letter from Jimmy.”

Positioned as a Post Script or coda, “Got a Letter from Jimmy” simply is a “Wow!” of a short-short. Even if it were extracted from the collection, it still would shock. Positioned perfectly, just before the signature story, “The Lottery,” and after “The Tooth,” it represents the last the reader hears of James, “Jimmy,” Harris. Oh! But, how s/he does!

Like some other short-shorts, this one becomes hard to review without giving the wonderful, horribleness away. Suffice it to say, “Got a Letter from Jimmy” is wonderfully . . . horribly . . . evil.

25. “The Lottery.”

The title story has become a classic, of course. And, I cannot help but wonder if high schools still use it.

With the Hutchinson allusion, America’s Puritan past, and the Romantic Period yielding such horrific tales as those of Poe, Hawthorne, and Melville, “The Lottery” invites readers to examine our past alongside our present. And, like other stories here, “The Lottery” reveals Jackson’s ability to tell a story with both a contemporary and historical feel.

Unfortunately, because of my past reading, the surprise element seemed absent. And so, the title story became a kind of anti-climax, especially after “Got a Letter from Jimmy.”

Yet, the author’s fine craftsmanship reveals itself. And, the ending becomes the logical climax to the previously built narrative. And so, in short, “The Lottery” is a classic. And, upon reflection, I really should not have been surprised at the ending, even with a first reading.

Lastly, given the United States and the world today, I cannot help but wonder if the initial reactions of today’s readers parallel my / our initial reactions. My gut tells me, “No,” which unfortunately, ultimately, seems cynical. But then again, contemporary readers also have had, since Jackson’s time, Matheson, Koontz, King, Straub, Barker, and others still.

And, to end:

Epilogue:

Almost as a refrain, Jackson provides an addenda or epilogue by printing Child Ballad No. 243 to the end of the collection providing a final frame for the James Harris motif. And, this acts as an effective punctuation.
. . .

“’Oh hold your tongue of your weeping,’ says he,
‘Of your weeping now let me be,
I will shew you how the lilies grow
On the banks of Italy.’”
. . .

With this collection, with her other stories as well as with her novels, Shirley Jackson clearly is a meticulous and thoughtful writer.

Each of these tales easily may be re-read with varying interpretations. The effect, though, may not be so varied. Simply, Jackson, her style, her tales, and her world stay with you.

Once again, a masterful collection from a masterful writer.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lottery, or, The Adventures of James Harris is a unique collection of short stories by Shirley Jackson. Published in 1949, this collection is the only collection of her short stories that were published in her lifetime. I do not know to what extent she had a hand in determining which stories to include and in what order, but I like to think this was entirely by her design.

The 25 short stories are divided into four groups, and each group is preceded with an excerpt from Joseph Glanvil’s Sadducismus Triumphatus. That’s not a made up name or title, but a real book published posthumously in 1681 about witchcraft. In the quote preceding the first group of stories, the author describes the witches partying down with the Devil in one of their rituals. This focus on witches and Devils runs throughout the collection, especially given the alternate title of “The Adventures of James Harris.” Jims and Mr. Harris’s appear throughout the various stories collected here. He first appears as a named figure in the second story, “The Daemon Lover,” which follows a young woman who is stood up by her fiancé, the man who proposed to her yesterday. She searches the area for him and believes that she has tracked him down to an apartment where he appears to be shacked up with another woman. Only no one answers the door when she knocks, and she returns regularly to try to find him but never does. Does Jim Harris exist? Is he fucking with the young woman, or is she delusional in some way? It’s a fantastic story, but Shirley Jackson doesn’t care to answer that question. So Jim is a kind of phantom, and you could describe him as devilish.

The epilogue for the collection of short stories is an excerpt from a translation of Child Ballad No. 243, the ballad titled “James Harris, The Daemon Lover.” In the ballad, James Harris is a man who lures a married woman and mother away from her family with the promise of riches, but once he has her, he reveals that he is the devil and that he is taking her to hell with him. So the theme of devilry and witches runs throughout the stories, even though there is nothing resembling a witch in any of the tales.

Jackson’s stories are almost all about modern young women and their own spaces, living their lives. It is of course not the women accused of witchcraft who called themselves witches in the 17th century, but the men like Joseph Glanvil. These are women being women in women’s spaces, the kind of thing that makes some men uncomfortable and accusatory. What exactly is Shirley Jackson saying, I don’t know, but I would love to read the analysis that connects all the threads that are dangling loose in my head right now. Unfortunately there appears to have been little scholarly work done with regards to this text.

Prior to reading this collection, I had not read any of Shirley Jackson’s short stories except for “The Lottery,” and I read that so long ago that my only memory was that the winner of the lottery got stoned (spoilers!). I was expecting, then, dystopic tales and possibly even science fiction, but this collection could not be farther from that description. I was surprised upon rereading “The Lottery” to find that there was nothing science fiction-y about it. It only seemed that way to my young mind because “village” sounded so quaint and otherworldly, I suppose.

No, these stories are all about New England in the 1940s, and they feel like it. They are tales that present situations fraught with danger, but the worst things you imagine are not where the story goes. Jackson is concerned with the mundane rather than the magnificent. For example, “The Tooth,” one of the final stories in the collection begins with a woman boarding an overnight bus from New Hampshire to New York, where she expects to have her tooth pulled in the morning. Suffering from a terrible toothache, she boards the bus after popping codeine and drinking plenty of whisky. Oh, and sleeping pills. Good night! How many things can go wrong there?! And, while they do not go well for our protagonist, she does not end up raped, killed, or abandoned on the side of the road. The threat is certainly present, but Jackson is interested in things other than the sensational.

She spends much of her stories recounting character’s actions in pretty minute detail. Her writing is clear and strong, and stays away from poetic phrases or extended similes and metaphors. She keeps you grounded in the moment to moment actions of her subject and does not meditate on things beyond that. The meaning to be pulled from the stories is in the action of the drama itself, not in its presentation. There were several stories that were utterly captivating, and there were a handful that simply left me scratching my head. Every time I felt like I figured her and her writing out, along would come a story that would dumbfound me. “The Dummy,” for example. What the hell was that story saying? Or “Come Dance with me in Ireland.” Or “A Fine Old Firm.” But even the headscratchers ere beautifully brought to life.

It was tempting at times while reading one story or another to think that Jackson just didn’t know how to build to a climax or seize upon a moment of tension in the narrative. But it is clear that Jackson can do exactly those things when she wants to, which means that these stories that don’t do those things do exactly what she wants them to. Often her protagonists are stuck in socially awkward situations and we read on to see how, if at all, they extricate themselves. Will there be a moment of confrontation? More often than not there isn’t. The protagonist often yields to the opposing force in a moment of quiet defeat or setback. These quiet moments seem to be the things that most captivate Jackson’s imagination, and I must say, I very much enjoyed her approach.

This is not a collection to be rushed through. Each story wants to be lingered over and compared to the others in its group. What are they saying? How are they reflecting one another? What, if anything, do they add up to? I don’t have solid answers, but I have feelings tingling around in my guts, and I like the echoes of my unanswered questions.

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm actually sad that I didn't enjoy this short story collection more than I did. Now, my letdown when it comes to the title story of "The Lottery" isn't really due to anything lacking in Jackson's writing; rather, the trouble comes from the fact that the twist at the end is so much a part of the cultural zeitgeist that I already knew what the twist was and so all of Jackson's hard work at setting it up to punch me in the gut was for naught. If I wasn't already aware of what was truly going on in the story, I would probably have enjoyed it a lot more. As it is, I can see why it's on a lot of people's Top Ten lists when it comes to short stories, but it just didn't do much for me because I was already spoilered on the ending.

As for the others, there are a few stories I truly enjoyed (namely: Like Mother Used to Make, The Villager, Flower Garden, Elizabeth, Come Dance with me in Ireland, Pillar of Salt, and The Tooth.) Every story, whether I enjoyed it or not, had clearly developed characters that felt very realistic. The dialogue between people sounded like everyday conversation; their petty grievances that they ranted about in their heads and hid behind niceties in their interactions were 100% the same ones I've had in my own; the way people went about daily activities as though in a dream and thought to themselves multiple times that they felt as though they just needed the world to wake them up...that was so easy for, I think, any reader to relate to in life; the way every lead character was somewhat detestable gave a face to every person, and that face was sometimes a person I despised myself and sometimes the face of someone I loved (including my own).

But for all that, most of the stories felt forgettable on the whole. I was telling my brother about a few of the stories the other day (when I was still only about a quarter of the way through), and he said that they all sounded like the kinds of things that happen in dreams. And I think that's my problem with the majority of them -- dreamlike stories are interesting, but I tend to forget my dreams not long after I've had them (unless they're recurring) and emotionally they don't speak to me very much.

Also, I did enjoy reading about the random appearances of James Harris throughout the collection. Since I don't know the original publication dates for all of these short stories, I would be intrigued to know if she always intended for Harris to be the same person or if it was just a name that she was drawn to and threw into a lot of her earlier writing. I'm always curious to know what's intended by a writer and what pops into their work subconsciously. But what worked about James Harris in the "dreamlike" feeling of these stories is that he never feels like a very solid figure. The only thing that stays the same is that he's a writer, and not a very successful one. (I'm sure there's very well-written literary essays about what Harris symbolizes throughout this work, but I haven't even begun to look into the scholarly write ups about Shirley Jackson's writing corpus yet.) I look forward to seeing if I see him mentioned in any of the other short stories she wrote that aren't part of this collection.

Still, an interesting collection to read through at least once in my life. While it doesn't measure up to Jackson's Haunting of Hill House, they do give a good sampling of the flavor or psychological writing that Jackson is famous for her in her long-form writing.

[Jenny Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we have Jackson’s famous short story about the insanity of tradition, The Lottery, as well as other stories. Many of them feature an elusive man named James Harris, who often seems to appear on the periphery of women’s vision. For instance, he’s the missing suitor in the story called “The Daemon Lover”, and a ghostly yet poetic presence in NYC to the codeine-addled woman in “The Tooth”

These stories are crispy written and often witty, but they can also be very discomfiting. Several of them deal with people who brazenly manipulate others, and their victims seem to have no way of fighting back. In one of the stories, “The Dummy”, a woman is berated by a ventriloquist’s dummy. She’s defended by another woman, angry on her behalf, but she takes the side of the dummy.

Several of the stories also deal with prejudice, and the assumptions people can make about others. In a short funny story, “After You, My Dear Alphonse”, a mother assumes her son’s Black friend is poor and unfortunate, while the children just assume the mother is screwy as all mothers are. In a longer treatment of this, “The Flower Garden”, a woman with high social standing in a town rejects a new friend because of the relaxed way she treats her Black gardener. In another story, “Come Dance With Me in Ireland,” unwelcome charity is foisted on an old man who comes to the door selling shoe-laces.

[Brian Cohen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It feels strange to give this a 3, but ultimately I was put off by the lack of resolution in so many of the stories. They just end, and that can be fine, but I found it frustrating when it happened over and over. Jackson is a master writer, the poet laureate of insecurity and great detailer of the front housewives of the time had to present, and the stories have great characters, but where are the plots? Some stories definitely stick with you, though, and ‘The Lottery’ deserves its place near the top of every short story ‘best of’ list. Overall the collection was just a little disappointing after enjoying her novels so much.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reread this book and bumped up my rating from 3 to 5 stars. This time I read the stories in order (sometimes I jump around in short story collections) after reading an online article that noted the recurring character of James Harris and how reading the stories in order was important to enjoying this collection. I was blown away by Jackson's ability and now want to reread other material by this amazing writer. I also see that there is a relatively new biography which I want to read.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection of 24 short stories was almost entirely unenjoyable for me. The author wasted no time in pretension regarding her characters' redeeming qualities. Instead she unflinchingly peeled back the veneer of polite society to reveal the cruelty and selfishness latent in more of the human population than we would like to admit. Although I quite enjoy a dark story, ultimately this collection was just too unrelenting in its cynicism for my taste.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was struck by how different each of the other stories was from The Lottery. It really stood alone and in fact, most of the stories were quite distinct from each other as well. I was also struck by commentary on racial injustice and bigotry in a few of the stories. I intend to do some research on Shirley Jackson’s views and how they were received in her writing.

[Sarah Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The suspense she builds is effortlessly wrought in the collection. It's rare to find an anthology in which the pace stagnates or the theme is thrown off, but the tone and mood she builds in this work is immaculate.

[Afton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading these. She has a way of saying a lot with few words - the stories are short but there is so much in them. One I specifically felt this way about was "A Fine Old Firm."

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories were fine. I dodn't get why the name Harris kept coming back up although I liked "The Tooth" and "Like Mother Used to Make" which were both Harris stories.

[Sarah Janicek med ma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no idea what I just read but liked it.

[Grace Mcclintock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m kinda in awe of how good each story was.