The story opens in a bucolic small-town setting, where the narrator describes how the villagers gather in their town square for the annual lottery. Children recently on summer break are the first to assemble, then men and women of varying age groups, showing the stereotypical normality of small-town life. The narrator introduces Mr. Summers, the organizer and master of ceremonies of this lottery, who carries a black box. He tells the villagers that it contains some of the older, original lottery paraphernalia.
Once the villagers have selected their numbers, they gather around the black box and begin to wait for Mr. Summers to announce the winner. There is a general sigh of disappointment when the first slip — the one selected by little Dave — turns out to be blank. Bill’s and Nancy’s papers bear the same fate, and finally the mute Tessie’s paper, which has a black spot on it, is revealed as the winning ticket.
Jackson’s central theme in this story is the blind acceptance of outdated traditions by people, a fact which she demonstrates through the use of the lottery as an example. The villagers of this fictional town are willing to sacrifice the lives of other members of their community because of their beliefs in this particular tradition, which has been passed down through generations. In doing so, they ignore the obvious moral implications of their actions. The story also points out the role scapegoats play in societies that valorize certain types of national culture over others. It also suggests that sexism plays an important part in this particular society, with families organized around adult males.
