Answer: People are afraid to end the lottery and don't fight it.
Explanation:
The lottery is a ritual that happens every year. We are not told for how long exactly the lottery has existed, but Old Man Warner claims that this is his 77th time to attend the lottery.
Although they are afraid, people are hesitant to end the lottery because they do not know what will ensue if they do so. One interpretation is that they believe that ending the lottery will result in poor crop growth during the season. Whatever the reason might be, the villagers do not even consider ending the lottery, but protest when someone of them is chosen as a winner (Tessie protests when her husband is chosen). The absurdity of the lottery is demonstrated in people's determination to have the lottery at all costs.
