Jackson uses her characters to compare old traditions and the new ideas. She accomplishes this with the development of characters such as Old Man Warner, Tessie Hutchinson, and the town children. Jackson uses these characters to reflect ideas that are often conflicted over the past, present and future. These conflicts can be seen in her use of the old man, modern mother, and the children. Morality, progress and change are all questioned, and still nothing is resolved. Ironically, the society's conscience is ignored in order to preserve tradition.

Jackson uses Old Man Warner to represent the past and its traditions. Old Man Warner is the oldest man in town. According to town tradition, one that has been in place since before his birth, the town must make a sacrifice in order to have a plentiful crop harvest. It is at this point that Jackson appears to be mocking...