Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery" is no mere narrative about a custom that one town practices. Rather, this story is meant to serve as a parable; that is "The Lottery" presents readers with a story that illustrates a message, or lesson. It is didactic, not entertaining.

For her purposes, Jackson has no intent of presenting a story that is "fair." In fact, it is this "unfairness" that is part of Jackson's message about the blind adherence to custom that rules people as opposed to rational behavior. When, for instance, Old Man Warner objects to doing away with the lottery, defending the importance of the town's custom with the irrational statement that the lottery should continue because there has always been one:

"Used to be a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' First thing you know we'd all be eating stewed chickweed and acorns. There's always been a lottery," he added petulantly...."Seventy-seventh year I been in the lottery...." 

That closed-minded people would continue a custom simply because it is a custom is irrational. Jackson makes the lottery a heinous custom in order to underscore her point, obviously, and the parable of the small town that maintains the custom of stoning someone every year to bring good fortune to their crops illustrates the irrationality of humans in certain situations.