From "The Lottery - The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago, and the black box now resting on the stool had been put into use even before Old Man Warner, the oldest man in town was born. Mr. Summers spoke frequently to the villagers about making a new box, but no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box.
There was a story that the present box had been made with some pieces of the box that had preceded it. the one that had been constructed when the first people settled down to make a village here Every year, after the lottery. Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done. The black box grew shabbier eachyear by now it was no longer completely black but splintered badly along one side to show the original wood color and in some places faded or stained

The atmosphere surrounding the importance of the black box is mainly one of:
A. suspense
B. avoidance
C. death
D. nonchalance
E. ignorance