This story is about a society that runs a lottery every year in order to determine which community member will be stoned to death.
The story begins innocently enough. Members of the community are gathering in a central common area. Children are playing at the perimeter and gathering stones . . . for some unknown purpose. The reader catches bits and pieces of conversations that are happening, and everything seems like a typical, happy societal get together. Attendance is taken in order to make sure that as many community members are there as possible. Mr. Summers is in charge of the proceedings, and it is his job to make sure that every person and family has a slip of paper in the box. Eventually Tessie Hutchinson's name is pulled from the box, and despite her cries that it is unfair, the community promptly stones her to death.
Thematically, the story is about oppression, tradition, violence, scapegoats, violence, and even gender roles.
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