This story by Cherise Madigan was published by the Bennington Banner on June 27.
[N]ORTH BENNINGTON — On or around June 27 of each year, Bennington’s bibliophiles congregate to celebrate local author Shirley Jackson, who continues to lure and enliven readers more than 50 years after her death.
For those unfamiliar with Jackson, the celebrations may seem somewhat mysterious— how does Jackson continue to engage readers to such a degree, after all of these years?
Known for her use of enigma and psychological suspense, Jackson has been hailed for her novels “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” but also penned two memoirs, four books for children, and countless short stories. The author is perhaps best known for her spooky short story “The Lottery,” published in The New Yorker on June 26, 1948 — seventy years ago yesterday.
Now, bibliophiles across the globe commemorate “Lottery Day” on the date that her most popular story takes place: June 27. In Bennington, those celebrations have become known as “Shirley Jackson Day” in an effort to continually engage local readers with both the author’s work and their own history.
“Shirley Jackson Day emerged as part of an endeavor more than ten years ago to bring interesting programs in the humanities and the arts to Bennington, and part of that effort was to make use of local resources that may have been overlooked,” explained longtime organizer Tom Fels. “As a schoolmate of Jackson’s children, and visitor to their house, I was aware that we had a treasure to share.”
The revival of Jackson’s legacy reached its peak in 2016, the hundredth anniversary of the author’s birth, with the publication of a new collection of unpublished works “Let Me Tell You,” edited by two of her children; a new biography by literary scholar Ruth Franklin; a graphic novel of “The Lottery” illustrated by Jackson’s grandson Miles Hyman; and a ballet based on the short story that continues to tour the country. According to Fels, other Jackson-inspired film, stage, and television projects are also in production.
“Jackson was an overlooked writer, not only in her hometown, but nationally as well,” Fels said. “This has to some extent been mitigated in recent years by new books about her, new projects related to her work, and the republishing of her novels, stories, and memoirs. As of last year all of her books were back in print, and an excellent new biography and collection of her work were available.”
“Jackson was a longtime resident of North Bennington, and she wrote ‘The Lottery’ when she lived here,” said Jennie Rozycki, the director of the John G. McCullough Free Library, who has assumed the helm of the annual event this year.
This year’s celebration will take place at North Bennington’s Left Bank Gallery at 7 p.m. on Saturday, featuring four readers associated with the national Shirley Jackson Awards (SJA) organization.
SJA Co-Founder F. Brett Cox, and author of “The End of All Our Exploring: Stories,” will be joined by fellow board member John Langan, the author of “The Fisherman” and “House of Windows.” Sam J. Miller, a 2016 SJA winner for short fiction, and Veronica Schanoes, a 2013 SJA winner for best novelette, will round out the evening’s program.
“[The Shirley Jackson Day celebration] connects our community with its past, with an important literary figure, and, in gathering together, with one another and a shared history,” Rozycki explained. “This year’s art show at The Left Bank is also really fun, and very much in keeping with the theme.”
Curated by artist Rhonda Ratray, the accompanying show titled “Am I walking toward something I should be running away from?” was inspired by Jackson’s short story “Lovers Meeting,” and features a range of works including paintings, photographs, drawings, and sculpture.
According to Ratray, the show grapples with the conflict inherent in its title — encompassing feelings of doubt, fear, and excitement — as well as the relationship between the mind and the body.
“I used the title as the guideline for choosing the artwork, and was specifically looking for pieces that evoked a struggle, anticipation, unsettling excitement in the face of danger — akin to a moth and a flame,” Ratray said. “I think the show compliments the literary event in that the artists are giving visual representation to complicated sentiments, in some ways exploring different facets of that conflict.”
That fundamental human conflict that Ratray has recognized rests at the core of Jackson’s work, and continues to engage readers to this day.
“The best speculative fiction forces readers to confront the true horrors of this world — namely, how poorly people can treat one another and the dangers of groupthink,” Rozycki said. “Her work often focuses on the internal lives of those pushed to the edges of society for being different or strange, especially within the context of a small town.”
“’The Lottery’ is one of the most anthologized [stories] in the language,” Fels added. “Jackson’s short life limited her output, but it is clear from what she did accomplish that she was a brilliant thinker and writer, with an artistic personality that will survive the years.”
