Lottery" by Shirley Jackson has come to be considered one of the most representative short stories of the American literature, despite the fact that when initially published in the late 1940s in the "New Yorker" failed to receive positive reviews from both the writers' community as well as the readers of the magazine. However, today, its motifs, symbols and the plot are highly appreciated and are a reference point for the American literature of all times.

The success and impact of the short story relies heavily on the symbols and themes the short story uses in order to transmit the message to the audience. The initial reactions were negative as "modern man considers such practices barbaric and, therefore, alien to his civilized behavior. For this reason, many persons were puzzled and shocked by 'The Lottery'" (Bloom, 2001) The plot in itself is not extremely complex, but the way in which...
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