Read the excerpt from “The Lottery.” Soon the men began to gather, surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes. They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed. The women, wearing faded house dresses and sweaters, came shortly after their menfolk. They greeted one another and exchanged bits of gossip as they went to join their husbands. Soon the women, standing by their husbands, began to call to their children, and the children came reluctantly, having to be called four or five times. Bobby Martin ducked under his mother's grasping hand and ran, laughing, back to the pile of stones. His father spoke up sharply, and Bobby came quickly and took his place between his father and his oldest brother. Explain what is learned by the actions of the characters in the excerpt. The lottery was a happy occasion because the men told jokes, the children laughed, and the women were able to exchange gossip. The lottery may not have been a happy occasion because the men smiled rather than laughed, and the children were apparently very hesitant to join their families when it started. Most of the villagers were indifferent about the lottery since it was held every year, and they already knew the outcome this time. Most of the villagers were ready to do away with the lottery since it was an outdated custom, carried over from years past.