Trifles

Summary: Mrs. Wright has killed her husband. She is sitting in her house when Hale discovers her. She is sitting in her rocker and rocking back in forth. She says that her husband has died. Hale then talks to the sheriff and attorney about Mr. Wright and who might have killed him. The attorney and sheriff kind of look down upon Mrs. Wright because her kitchen in dirty. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale are then talking. Then are noticing little details about Mrs. Wright and her house. Then notice that something is not right like her kitchen and quilt. They then notice a bird. The bird was Mrs. Wrights. and it was strangled. They then talk about how she used to sing. They then realize that Mrs. Wright had killed her husband, but the men do not notice or know. The women then decide to act like they do not know who killed Mr. Wright. When they are leaving, Mrs. Hale takes the box with the bird in it because Mrs. Peters' bag was not big enough for her to take it.

Analysis: It is odd how Mrs. Wright's name is wright. Mrs. Wright isn't really right. She killed her husband and has gone crazy. Also she was obviously oppressed, and when her husband killed her bird that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. He wouldn't let her sing, and then he killed her bird which probably greatly upset her. The women in the story are looked down upon. The men remark on how dirty Mrs. Wright's kitchen is and say that she should have kept it clean. The men look down upon the dirty kitchen, but it is not like they keep the kitchen clean. They also wonder why Mrs. Hale hasn't visited Mrs. Wright. They think she should have, but like Mrs. Hale said, farmer's wives are busy. They also mock the women for looking at Mrs. Wright's sewing. The women notice all the details like her sewing and the jars while the men do not. The men just look at the big picture and are not able to figure out who killed Mr. Wright. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters both feel bad for Mrs. Wright and can empathize with her because they had seen that she had been oppressed which is why in the end they decide to take the bird so there is not evidence for a motive as to why Mrs. Wright killed Mr. Wright. The bird could also symbolize Mrs. Wright's freedom. Birds are a symbol for freedom, and when Mr. Wright killed the bird then Mrs. Wright could have finally realized that Mr. Wright killed her freedom. He wouldn't let her sing and oppressed her. The bird was all that she had left, and when he killed it he killed the last thing that Mrs. Wright had and the only enjoyment she had left in her life. Mrs. Wright probably just snapped and decided to kill Mr. Wright because she could see no other way out because he was so controlling. She probably wanted to end his freedom and life because she felt like that is what he did to her. He wouldn't let her be happy and herself, and he also wouldn't let probably the one thing she loved or got enjoyment from to live.