Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”: A Graphic Adaptation

A small town. An annual tradition to preserve the harvest. A brutal choice. These ingredients contribute to one of the most iconic short stories of all time, Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery.

A stunning bit of social commentary that remains relevant to this very day, The Lottery is brought to life in stark, natural color in this graphic novel adaptation by Jackson’s grandson Miles Hyman. And Hyman does an impressive job preserving the ominous tone of the original, allowing the visuals to build the suspense so effectively captured in Jackson’s story.

And the imagery of small town America gives this version of the story the same timeless feel as the original. Other than the presence of cars, nothing really dates the story or ties it to a certain time, allowing the story to feel as relevant today as it did decades ago and as it will, no doubt, decades from now.

It’s a quick read but one that sticks with you well after you’ve turned the last page. Given the intense visuals, this version might even linger longer in the minds of readers. And that alone makes it a worthy inheritor of Jackson’s legacy.