what is the idea behind the lottery by shirley jackson
It is a story that is as much fun to think about as it is to read. Learn how the author uses foreshadowing, irony and deep themes. slide 1 of 7. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson first appeared in the New Yorker in 1948. A modern parable, this story is often classified as a horror story. It tells the story of a small town that holds a lottery each year. The person picked by this lottery is then stoned to death by the town.