Tessie Hutchinson, a character in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”

Shirley Jackson’s fictitious short tale The Lottery, set in a tiny community, is about mindlessly adhering to customs. Most of the villagers, who prepare for the yearly ceremony in June each year, are unaware of the lottery’s purpose.

Who is the Lottery’s Tessie?
The protagonist, Tessie Hutchinson, abides by the village’s regulations just like everyone else. She has a lively personality. Tessie seems to be the model town resident who abides by the rules, but as the plot develops, she evolves as she stands up for herself.

Tessie seems unengaged at the start of the narrative. She conforms to gender norms and complies with expectations. She approaches her husband after being late to the lottery and asks, “Wouldn’t have me leave dishes in the sink now, Joe? ”. Tessie is a model citizen in her dystopian world because she emphasizes her duties as a housewife and does them. She follows the guidelines provided and, ostensibly, does not object to them. Instead, she takes it obediently.

Additionally, Tessie’s conformist tendencies are shown. She is obedient and goes along with everything. Tessie seems to have no issues with the customs and ideals of her community; instead, she supports her husband when he wins the lottery. “Get up there, Bill,” she adds in an encouraging tone as Mr. Hutchinson’s name is called. Tessie actively exhibits her ideal citizenship by abiding by the customs. In addition, Tessie supported her husband when he purchased his ticket, encouraging him while others seemed apprehensive or frightened. Tessie is the perfect citizen because she not only abides by the rules and practices of her society, but she also seems to love doing so.

But as things go on, Tessie starts to express herself. Her viewpoint on the lottery changes once she wins the lottery, and she starts to doubt the traditions she had been following without thinking for so long. She shouts, “It isn’t fair, it isn’t right,” to the people as she argues and complains till she perishes. Because of the things that directly influenced Tessie, she transforms towards the conclusion of the narrative. Tessie would have remained the same meek, obedient conformist if she had not been chosen. Tessie, however, gained a fresh perspective as a result of being selected and defied her family’s wishes. As a result of speaking out against the customs and going against the grain, Tessie is no longer the model citizen of her community. Tessie’s transformation from a passive conformist to an active protestor makes her a fascinating character.

Tessie Hutchinson is a vibrant figure, to sum up. She presents as the model citizen, but when she wins the lotto, she transforms into the complete opposite. She transforms from a meek and conformist to an aggressive person. The Lottery serves as an example of how events in life mold a person’s personality and character.