I would be surprised if anyone knows what I'm talking about, but here
goes.

About 20 years ago, when I was about 9 years old, I was watching
either Sesame Street or the Electric Company. Following the show,
still on PBS I believe, there was a program that really troubled me.
All I remember was that the show was in a village, like an old
fisherman village the type you would find in Cape Cod. I don't know
exactly what happened. All I know is that at the end of the show, a
woman, who was also a mother of one or more young children was stoned
to death by all the villagers, including her young children.

My question is does anybody know what I'm talking about, and if so:
WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT?

It really left a mark on me and scared me. I even remember thinking to
myself how come PBS was showing that kind of show, when young kids
like myself are tuned in.

I don't really expect anyone to know what I'm talking about, but you
never know.

Thanks.

It sounds like you're describing a film adaptation of Shirley
Jackson's classic short story, "The Lottery." It's definitely a
disturbing yet thought-provoking story, so I can understand your
continued curiosity.

There have been a couple of several film versions. A popular one for
classroom use (and possibly PBS educational type programminng) is a
short 18 minute version from 1969. It's in a lot of school and public
libraries.
Try this link to Cleveland Public Library's description:
http://js-catalog.cpl.org:60100/MARION/AFI-4898

Here is a description from video collection of the Coalition for
Jewish Learning of Milkwaukee:
"THE LOTTERY  (1969)
Adaptation of a tension-filled short story by Shirley Jackson, this
film is about a small American town holding an annual lottery?which
turns out to be a ritual of selecting someone to be stoned to death.
Powerful to use as a trigger film to discuss scapegoatism, adherence
to tradition, hypocrisy, the role of the individual in society, and
the bystander?s reaction to a violent episode. Can be used with
Holocaust themes. Note: Some violence at the end. Must be previewed.
18 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult"
http://www.cjlmilwaukee.org/Video/Video%20Catalog%202/Stories%20Sections/STORIES%20(A-N).htm

On the web site "Great Literature Online," there is an interesting
article by Bette Reagan about "The Lottery." It includes quite a bit
of background information about Jackson:
http://www.underthesun.cc/Classics/Jackson/

The exact meaning of the story, of course, is open to interpretation.

Here is a long, complex analysis of the story by Peter Kosenko:
http://www.netwood.net/~kosenko/jackson.html

Here is an analysis from Halifax Community College:
http://www.hcc.cc.nc.us/online/Internet2/Notes/The%20Lottery.html

Here is an essay on the theme of the story:
http://www.essaynow.com/new/English/Analyzing+Theme+The+Lottery+by+Shirley+Jackson.asp

Also, try these searches for additional resources:
terms: "shirley jackson" lottery
://www.google.com/search?client=googlet&q=%22shirley%20jackson%22%20lottery

terms: meaning "shirley jackson" lottery
://www.google.com/search?q=meaning+%22Shirley+jackson%22+lottery&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&start=10&sa=N

I hope this helps.

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 22 May 2002 19:41 PDT

That link to CJLmilwaukee's site should have been:
http://www.cjlmilwaukee.org/Video/Video%20Catalog%202/Stories%20Sections/STORIES%20(A-N).htm

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 22 May 2002 19:45 PDT

Hmmm, that didn't work either. There shouldn't be a space between the
last ")" and the ".htm" but I can't seem to get rid of it.
In any case, the page may be accessed via this page:
http://www.cjlmilwaukee.org/Video/intro.htm

Thank you for your answer. That's exactly the short film I probably
saw in the late seventies on PBS, the 1969 adaptation.

Thank you. Even though I was only 8 or 9, I never forgot my shock when
I saw the ending of this short film.

I can finally get on with my life :-)

Impressive. Thanks again.

Oh.  My.

I saw this while Juggler had it locked and knew immediately what it
was.  That story scared me to death when I read it as a high school
sophomore, and still does.  Scary stuff.

Yes... that's it.  Very well researched.  I also remember the movie
and short story.  Very disturbing!
tlspiegel-ga

looking99:
You're welcome. And thanks for your comments.

Here is a link to the story in its entirety.
http://mbhs.bergtraum.k12.ny.us/cybereng/shorts/lotry.html

I too knew just what it was ...(only my memory failed me in the crunch
and Juggler locked it up before I could get there! :-) ) It was
standard assigned reading when I was in 8th grade, and my daughter
read it as well when she was the same age. I suspect it is still
assigned. (Raise your hand if you DIDN’T have to do an essay on this
story!)

--Knowledge_Seeker

knowledge_seeker-ga :

Unfortunatly,  being from Quebec and having been schooled in French
all my life, American authors we're never covered. So, I would have to
raise my hand. :-)

There also was a made for TV move called "The Lottery" back in 1996. 
It starred Dan Cortese (fomer MTV VJ) and Keri Russell (later the star
of Felicity).  More info on the Internet Movie Database at:

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0116924