1. Tessie is somewhat of a "rebel." She arrives at the lottery later than anyone else and claims that she forgot what day it was, and that it was only when she recognized that her husband and children were missing that she remembered. Tessie's excuse does not seem genuine, but the crowd seems to humor her and be slightly intimidated by her. The reader can see from Tessie's entrance, that she is not one to easily follow others.
2. Tessie is "dominating." She is obviously the "head" of her household, and even when the men are told to represent their families by drawing, Tessie orders her husband to do so before he has an opportunity to move. She says,
" 'Get up there, Bill.' "
and the crowd laughs at her. Similarly, when the crowd discovers that the Hutchinsons drew the marked piece, Bill stands there quietly and subdued, while Tessie's automatic reaction is to shout and protest.
3. Finally, Tessie's reaction to her family being chosen and ultimately her name being attached to the marked paper illustrates her self-centeredness. At first, she wants to lessen her chances of being stoned by adding her daughter and son-in-law into the drawing, indicating that she would rather her daughter die instead of her. She seems to think that anyone, including members of her own family, deserve to die before she does. Even as she is being stoned, she protests the "unfairness" of the drawing but does not say final good-byes or show any concern for the children she is leaving motherless.
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