"The Lottery"

2. How does the writer make it seem plausible that the climactic event in the lottery is a regular, important component of this community’s social/cultural calendar?

By depicting the social consensus among the community, Shirley Jackson gives a sense of realism about an event that would otherwise appear unsettling. In particular, she illustrates this mentality by introducing the scene with children, the epitome of human innocence. Even though the story eventually leads to a public murder, the children gathering stones for the occasion behave as if the situation is normal. To build on that, their presence there before their own parents is telling of how the event has become so normalized that the venue is considered safe enough to accept children before a sophisticated adult. Usually, the host and instigator of the event---Mr. Summers in this case---is expected to be the first to show up. Instead, the adults' youngest offspring are there, providing a sense that they are the enablers of this violent event just as much as whoever officiates it. It’s interesting to see that everyone is an attendee, even though not everyone can qualify to choose a slip because of age or a disability, which further enforces the fact that this event is normal.