Everyone’s a (literary) critic
Writes The Retired Pedagogue of Arden Hills: “Subject: It takes a village.
“Hey, Bulletin Boarders, it’s almost time for the lottery. No, not that one. It’s the one in Shirley Jackson’s short story ‘The Lottery.’
“This is the opening paragraph:
“‘The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. The people of the village began to gather in the square, between the post office and the bank, around ten o’clock; in some towns there were so many people that the lottery took two days and had to be started on June 26th, but in this village, where there were only about three hundred people, the whole lottery took only about two hours, so it could begin at ten o’clock in the morning and still be through in time to allow the villagers to get home for noon dinner.’
“The cast of characters includes Mr. Summers, Mr. Graves, Old Man Warner, and Mr. Adams. The Hutchinson family plays a prominent role. It’s a story you won’t soon forget.
“June 27th is almost here.”
BULLETIN BOARD NOTES: Having read the “Other Stories,” too, we can heartily recommend Ms. Jackson’s collection “The Lottery and Other Stories.” She was one of a kind.
Band Name of the Day: The Old Man Warners
Website of the Day: “The Lottery”
Bulletin Board 