The Lottery Tradition and Customs Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Paragraph)

Quote #1

The people of the village began to gather in the square, between the post office and the bank, around ten o'clock. (1)

The lottery follows a tried-and-true process, the beginning of which we see here.

Quote #2

The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago, and the black box now resting on the stool had been put into use even before Old Man Warner, the oldest man in town, was born. Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box. (5)

The villagers are extremely resistant to change, although as seen in other passages, the lottery is not without its detractors.

Quote #3

Chips of wood, Mr. Summers had argued. had been all very well when the village was tiny, but now that the population was more than three hundred and likely to keep on growing, it was necessary to use something that would fit more easily into the black box. (6)

Mr. Summers takes his job very seriously and does not mind amending old customs as he sees fit.