Trifles 2

Trifles 2

  • Submitted By: tmwilson0013
  • Date Submitted: 10/10/2010 11:38 AM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 1241
  • Page: 5
  • Views: 1

In “Trifles,” Susan Glaspell uses symbolism to help the audience understand why Mrs. Wright, a countrywoman, “craftily” killed her husband. Glaspell uses the farmhouse, singing canary bird and the quilt to symbolize the lonely and abusive life of Mrs. Wright. The author gives the women characters vital roles in the play. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale ultimately are the ones who link all the pieces to the puzzle and solve the murder. The male characters’ and the county attorney on the other hand take a business first approach. The sheriff says they have no time for “kitchen things”. At the same time, the county attorney stumbles on to a mess of exploded fruit preserves on the top shelf in the disorganized kitchen. Mrs. Peters mentions to Mr. Henderson about Mrs. Wrights concern of that happening. Mr. Henderson states, “…she’s’/worried about her fruit preserves freezing when it turns cold tonight” (Glaspell 1092). The men are thrown back by the comment illustrated by the sheriff when he says, “Well, can you beat the woman! Held for murder and worryin’ about/ her preserves” (Glaspell 1093). The men cannot understand how the women process the world. The male characters clouded vision allows them to overlook the concerns of women and their place in the world. Worrying is further illustrated when Mr. Hale quotes, ‘well, women are used to worrying over trifles” (Glaspell 1093). Due to the very misconception, the men never figure out the motives in the case.
The farmhouse was an example of symbolism. The farmhouse symbolizes the relationship of Mrs. Wright and Mr. Wright. The author conveys to the reader from the opening scene that darkness lurks around the corner with the words “abandoned” and “isolated” to describe the Wrights’ farmhouse. She describes the inside kitchen of the farmhouse as being “left without having been put in order --and the walls covered with a faded wallpaper” (Glaspell 1090). She paints a picture to the reader of total neglect. Mrs. Hale...

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