The story implies that traditions and ceremonies are extremely important to the survival of the town as a whole. Even though no one remembers the origins of the lottery, they cannot imagine not holding it on a yearly basis. It is an ingrained ritual that will not be easily abandoned. The older members of the town, such as Old Man Warner, who has witnessed 77 lotteries, is adamant about continuing to hold the lottery. He is an example of how a meaningless tradition is clung to just because it has always been that way.
This town is superstitious about doing away with the lottery, afraid that if they abandon it that something bad will happen to the town.
According to the following passages, the lottery has taken on a life all its own, no one is willing to challenge the authority of the lottery. There isn't anyone who wants to make such a decision as to why the lottery is important, or when and if it should be done away with, but there are plenty of people in the town who are uncomfortable with the ritual.
"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." (Jackson)
"There was a story that the present box had been made with some pieces of the box that had preceded it, the one that had been constructed when the first people settled down to make a village here." (Jackson)
Tessie Hutchinson, who is chosen as the winner of the lottery questions the legitimacy of the whole process, but no one cares. Mrs. Dunbar, one of her neighbors, shows her disdain for the tradition by choosing only small stones. While Mrs. Delacroix, another neighbor, shows her primitive instincts, by picking up the biggest and heaviest stones flinging them upon Tessie Hutchinson with enthusiasm.
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