But back then in “The Lottery,” women had no say in public decisions and men had dominance over most decisions. In the Lottery, women were assigned to their husbands' families. “That society is strongly patriarchal is also suggested in many other ways” (Fritz). It becomes clearer in the story that men are responsible for everything. Jackson distinguishes female authority from male authority; when Mrs. Hutchinson complains about the unfairness of the draw, her husband orders her to keep quiet. This clarifies the nature of male power and female submission in The Lottery