Trifles
Explorations of the Text
1- What clues lead the women to conclude that Minnie Wright killed her husband?
I assumed that Mrs Hale and Mrs Peter got the feeling that Minnie Wright killed her husband due
to their discovery on silly things that man things. As far as I know, women are more detailed with
small little things that their do. Even the man in the story pointed out about how women used to
worrying over trifles. I assumed that small details at the kitchen such as stove, pot and pan,
kitchen table, towel are not in its best. For me it showed there is something wrong with her
because you cannot beat women with house chores especially their kitchen. I also assumed that
Mrs Hale and Mrs Peter also found out that her technique of piecing a quilts are not at her best.
They felt that Minnie Wright are nervous about something ( murdering her husband). Besides, her
dead canary bird are found dead by Mrs Hale and Mrs Peter due to someone who had killed it. As
for me, the bird itself was something that precious to her ( I assumed it symbolize her freedom)
because she made pretty box for the bird. Mrs Peter herself said that she would hurt a boy who
took her kitten when she was little girl. As for Minnie, that bird been killed by someone ( I
think her husband.)
2- How do the man differ from the women? from each other?
In the beginning of the play the women are not judging Mrs Wright or accusing her of
anything they are defending her at a sad time in her life. On the other hand, we read about the
County Attorney talking about how much of a mess the kitchen is and ridiculing Mrs. Wright in
her absence about how her husband has been murdered and she is worried about her fruit being
frozen; "I guess before we're through she may have something more serious than preserves to
worry about," he boasts. The County Attorney has basically claimed her guilty for the murder of
her own husband and at the same time teases about her fruit. The women immediately go to her aid
talking of how hard it is to keep a farmhouse in order. With women, once we have to go on the
defensive, we will find every way to find the good or bad in something no matter what the cost.
This is how the women drew their conclusion. They speak about how much of a nice person she
was and because of that kindness, they think more of Mrs. Wright's well being and begin to aid he
in her housework by cleaning the kitchen and thinking of things that will make her comfortable
while she is in jail. By doing so they draw conclusions like, if she did kill her husband she had
reasons to. "She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster," says Mrs.
Hale. She implies how sweet and outgoing she was until she was married. They characterized Mr.
Wright as someone with a mean spirit. The men, however, were looking for clues to pin the murder
on the wife and convict her for murder since they already believed she killed him anyway. The
women use casual conversation with a bit of being nosey or trying to help out in order to judge her
by what they know and her surroundings.
3- What do the man discover? Why do they conclude " Nothing here but kitchen things"?
I assumed that the man in the story discover nothing unusual accept only kitchen thing like
the Sheriff said. They only pointed negative things such as dirty towel and mess kitchen. They
sarcastically and cynically criticizing the women about trifles and others. However, Mrs Hale get
irritated and defending Minnie Wright. Here, I think the reason why they cannot find any evidences
or hints is due to underestimating women and the ignorance to women. Sheriff and County
Attorney thinks all things at Minnie's kitchen not useful as evidences and also clouded their
investigations. As for me also, I think, its show how Glaspell criticizing man on how ignorant they
are about small things. I think, as a man, small detailed not really important but not to women. They
care abou small things. That's why, Mrs Peter and Mrs Hale found the proofs and decided to hide it
from the man world. I think the women assumed that no matter what the man still will accused
Minnie in killing her own husband no matter they have evidence or not.
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