In the short story 'The Lottery,' should I capitalize lottery when writing about it:

EX-
The winnings of the Lottery were undesired by all townsfolk.

Since Jackson didn't capitalize lottery in the story, you shouldn't capitalize it in your essay.

No, not usually. As I recall Jackson's story, the lottery doesn't have an official title as in "Powerball" or some other name, so it would not be capitalized as a proper noun. Is it capitalized in your imprint of the story? If so, then you should, too. If not, then no.

Yes, in this case, you should capitalize the word "Lottery" when referring to the specific event or tradition in the short story. This is because it is being treated as a proper noun, referring to a specific lottery event in the context of the story.

When it comes to capitalizing the word "lottery" in the short story "The Lottery," it depends on how it is being used. In general, the word "lottery" is not typically capitalized unless it is part of a proper noun or the beginning of a sentence.

In your example sentence, "The winnings of the Lottery were undesired by all townsfolk," the word "lottery" should not be capitalized. This is because it is used as a common noun rather than a specific name or title. If you were referring to a specific lottery with a proper name, such as "The Annual Summer Lottery," then you would capitalize it.

Remember that capitalization conventions can vary, so it's always a good idea to consult a style guide or follow any specific instructions given by your teacher or organization if you're writing for a specific purpose.