On the morning of the annual lottery, the sun is shining and it is a beautiful summer day. Jackson writes that the flowers are in full blossom and the grass is "richly green" as the community gathers in the town square at ten in the morning. The morning of June 27 is clear and warm, which gives the reader a sense of assurance and comfort. The peaceful day and the positive connotation of the lottery trick the reader into believing that the annual ritual is a peaceful, benevolent affair.

As the story progresses, Jackson begins to conjure an uneasy feeling among the gathered citizens and a foreboding atmosphere around the ominous black box. By the end of the story, the setting of the beautiful summer day and the friendly town square has transformed into the location of a brutal, barbaric ritual, where Tessie Hutchinson is stoned to death by her friends, family, and neighbors.