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Bill Hutchinson, Tessie’s husband, lives up to his stereotypical role as the man of the house when it comes to representing his family in public but fails to actually protect them when the time comes. His behavior throughout the course of the story highlights the false sense of normalcy that the town hides behind as they continue to practice the disturbing tradition of the lottery. Right from the beginning, the family unit emerges as a clear, defining element of the town, and Mr. Hutchinson dutifully attends the lottery to select a paper on behalf of his family. His lack of concern regarding the whereabouts of his wife at the start of the lottery, however, foreshadows that his commitment to this role may only be surface level. His aggressive command for Tessie to “shut up” after he draws the first dotted paper reflects a lack of emotional investment in his family, concerned more with the proceedings of the event than his wife’s obvious feelings of distress. While he may speak to Mr. Summers with a regretful tone, Mr. Hutchinson ultimately follows the tradition of the lottery and willingly participates in the murder of his wife. This response reflects the power of a group mentality over individual thoughts and feelings as it enables Mr. Hutchinson to ignore family bonds altogether.
