Trifles Significance

“Trifles,” by Susan Glaspell

They say never judge a book by its cover, which to some extent is true. But, most times a title of a book gives hints, clues, or significance to the moral of the story. For example a book called “Interview with a Vampire” would be most likely about vampires and not Columbus’ discovery. The play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell was a play about a murder that took place on a farm setting- in the kitchen of Mr. Wright and Minnie’s house. The man who lived there, Mr. Wright was strangled in his sleep, and of course Minnie was the main suspect. The men who investigated the scene were Sheriff Peters, Hale, and the county attorney Mr. Henderson. The two women involved in this play were Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters. The two women stood in the kitchen where the play mostly took place. They spoke mostly about nonsense and unrelated matters to the murder while the men investigated the bedroom upstairs and the barn. The title, “Trifles,” has a great significance to this play. Hale mentions the word when he states, “Well women are used to worrying over trifles.” Trifle meaning a matter or circumstance to little or no importance. After Hales comment it seemed the attitude and tone of the men towards the women were sarcastic. Especially Mr. Henderson’s tone at the

Hale and Mrs. Peters. While the men kept busy with investigating the women were more concerned in the kitchen about Minnie’s fruit freezing, her apron, and the bread left out on the counter. They also encountered a quilt that Minnie must have been completing, and Mrs. Hale started fixing some of the stitching. It seemed more preoccupied by artifacts that had no significance to the investigation of the murder. They worried more about bringing Minnie her apron, coat, fruit jar, and quilt to keep her busy. Even Minnie showed the meaning of trifle by asking for her apron. What would be the use of her apron in