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The story begins with all the villagers gathering in the square for the annual lottery. Children collect stones, men and women congregate, and the atmosphere seems benign.

Mr. Summers, who conducts the lottery, arrives carrying a black wooden box, accompanied by Mr. Graves. They place the box on a stool in the center of the square.

The story climaxes as the villagers stone Tessie Hutchinson to death, participating in the collective violence that the lottery ritual concludes with.

Bill Hutchinson draws a piece of paper with a black spot, indicating that his family has been chosen for the next round of the lottery.

Tessie Hutchinson draws the paper with the black spot, meaning she has 'won' the lottery, and a sense of foreboding settles over the scene.

Through dialogue and description, it is revealed that the lottery is an old tradition, with some towns having abandoned it and others, like this one, continuing it.

As Tessie protests the fairness of the draw, the villagers begin to gather stones and close in, revealing the true nature of the lottery.

The lottery ends with Tessie dead, and the villagers casually return to their everyday lives, indicating the normalization of the brutal tradition in their society.

Each member of the Hutchinson family must draw a piece of paper from the box to determine who in the family will be the final 'winner' of the lottery.