In "The Lottery," what role does Old Man Warner play in the story?

Great question! Although Old Man Warner is just a minor
character in this masterful short story, it is well worth thinking about how he is used by
Jackson to support one of the central themes in the story, which is how we can continue to be
involved in unjust and horrific practices because of tradition. Note how throughout the story Old
Man Warner speaks up for tradition - we are told that he is the oldest man in town and that he
says during the lottery that it is the "seventy-seventh year" he has been in the lottery and he
also has some harsh words about those communities that have given up the
lottery:

Old Man
Warner snorted. "Pack of crazy fools," he said. "Listening to the young folks, nothing's good
enough for them. Next thing you know, they'll be wanting to go back to
living in caves, nobody work any more, live that way for a while. Used to be
a saying about 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.' First think you know, we'd all be eating
stewed chickweed and acorns. There's always been a lottery," he added
petulantly.

Note how this important
speech ties in explicitly with some of the central themes of the novel. Old Man Warner's approach
is that tradition must be right because it has been practised for so long. To try and change it
would be, in his eyes, as stupid as going back to living in caves. The idea of change is
impossible to him. Note, too, how at the end he plays a key role in encouraging everyone to
finish off the Lottery.

Therefore in this short story Old Man Warner
plays the role of speaking up for tradition and how difficult it is to change tradition, even
when it causes us to commit terrible crimes that we can often be blind
to.