Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

Mr. Summers

At first glance, Mr. Summers is the man in charge of the lottery. He is the one who prepares the slips of paper to be used, the one who declares the lottery has begun, and the one who ensures that the villagers finish on time.

Yet his participation in the lottery (at one point he calls his own name and selects a slip of paper) and his unsuccessful attempt to replace the black box indicate that Mr. Summers remains under the sway of the lottery himself. Again, he's all surface: he has the veneer of authority, but no actual power beyond assuring that all goes according to schedule.