Lottery

Lottery is the story of narrator and lottery winner Perry L Crandall: the L, his grandmother has always told him, stands for ‘Lucky’. His big issue is that he’s called ‘a retard’, but his IQ is actually two points over what used to be described as retarded.

Because of his learning difficulties, Perry’s family (a scheming mother, two scheming brothers and, by the time we meet him, two even more scheming wives) abandoned him to be raised by his grandmother, who he calls Gram. At the beginning of the novel, shortly before Perry wins the lottery, Gram dies, leaving him almost at his grasping family’s mercy.

Almost, but not quite. Gram was always intent on helping Perry and preparing him to cope as much as possible. She would sit him down with a dictionary and make him learn more words every day: a bigger vocabulary means more knowledge and understanding. She was also very moral and brought him up to be moral too. And, when Perry turned sixteen, she organized a job for him with Gary who owns and runs the boatyard next door.

It’s there that Perry meets Keith, the Vietnam vet who becomes his best friend. Keith is one of those fully-fledged characters who you feel you know, can relate to and empathise with. He has the perfect balance of flaws and virtues. Because he’s so worldly-wise, he is the ideal foil for Perry. In a way, even though Perry is the novel’s narrator, as a reader you identify more with Keith, because whereas Perry doesn’t always understand what’s going on, Keith – like the reader – does: Keith’s reactions to how Perry is being treated mirror our reactions and there are several points where you find yourself cheering him on. And one of the novel’s most moving moments is when Perry tells us about what happened when he and Keith went out with his grandmother to watch the 4th of July fireworks and the bangs freak Keith out and he puts his head in Perry’s grandmother’s lap and she rocks him as he cries.

I found myself being very envious of Perry’s love of simplicity and simple things. Lottery was lovely and reassuring to read. Perry’s outlook, like his pleasures in life – sailing, Hershey’s Kisses and icing-dusted donuts – are very simple. His narration is straightforward, describing the events as they happen which leaves you, as the reader, lots of space for interpretation and imagination. Perry takes you with him on his journey and because of how he is, you’re not manipulated heavily by him and are allowed to form your own opinions and float around him.

I liked lots of things about this novel. I loved the story – although I found the ending a little too neat. And the style, which reminded me of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and some elements of A Confederacy of Dunces. It’s a very accessible read: not an easy read – an accessible read. I think it would appeal to a very broad spectrum of people, both men and women. It’s not gender-specific.