June 26th, 1948 - The Lottery
Dear TNY,
Did I win? Because this week, out of almost three years of weekly new work, you reprinted “The Lottery” from back in the day? Did I beat you?
Nah. Because you chose the wrong one.
That’s not to say it isn’t good. But it’s not great. I imagine for the uninitiated, this is the kind of story that makes people “shook”. But, it’s pretty plain that its major draw is tension. Does the author adhere to that tension? Yep. Foreshadowing is in place. Little drips. Little drops. Keeping you wondering. Sure. Is it a tight narrative? Fuck yes. It’s half the length of your normal garbage. But this story has always felt like a parable to me. And that’s the question, right? Isn’t that what I harp on you about all the fucking time? Is teaching a lesson more important than storytelling?
And I say no. I’ve actually been thinking about this all week. The agenda story. Art. Etc. And the first thing I could wrap my hands around with regard to explaining what I mean started with Neil Young. He created a profuse amount of music in the 60’s and 70’s. And it’s good. It’s got this fucking sound to it that…it’s just fucking epic. And it’s not even my taste. But it’s got legs because musically it’s epic. Is it political? Does it have an agenda? Fuck yes it does. But the music alone carries the piece. The agenda rides the tide of the music. And that’s how it should be. Always. And then I’m seeing that we have all these people getting behind Rage Against the Machine for our current country implosion. I’ve been digging these guys since inception. The sound is fucking otherworldly. And I see in the news that all these fucking dopes are raging alongside the same music in this new crisis, and getting upset when they find out its political message is the opposite of what they thought. Meaning the music carried the Art further than the fucking message ever did. And that’s what I’m trying to say. The Art has to be the strongest piece. If the agenda is, it’s a fucking slap in the face.
Now, here’s where you hate me. “The Lottery” is dated. It was written over 70 years ago. And this kind of storytelling was amazing then. But, to today’s audience of fit readers, it isn’t. It’s very predictable. Very normal. Elicits no dread or any other emotion. It’s just there, a piece of tension, with no je ne sais quoi. And it might address, agenda-wise, some shit we see now in society. But that doesn’t mean that this is the story of our generation. In the same way Neil Young isn’t the voice of our youth. Even RATM.
I get it. The shit is fucking legit, cred wise. But it’s not the best thing you have ever done. It’s not the best short story ever written. Certainly not the best one you have printed. And it doesn’t belong alongside our current US fucking garbage debacle of a country as something to fly high or cling to. Seems like you are coat-tailing it. That’s not surprising. Maybe get some fresh. That doesn’t just stand on the agenda. That stands on the Art.
So, I’m out. And would love to hear back from you about if I won. Or anything.
Nick
