Shirley Jackson, the author of “The Lottery,” never reveals to the reader the exact purpose of the lottery. As well, the townspeople also do not fully understand the origin or purpose of this event, however, they continue to participate in it. The villagers blindly follow the tradition of the lottery because they cannot fathom questioning or even breaking away from this generational event. No one is forcing the citizens of this town to continue to perform this violent affair, but some worry that if they abandon the lottery, “they'll be wanting to go back to living in caves. There's always been a lottery” (Jackson, “The Lottery”). The lottery is all these townspeople know, being without it would be even stranger than having to stone innocent
