Trifles Symbols

Susan Glaspell wrote this play in the early 1900’s before the women’s modern movement ever began. Symbolism in the story conveys a very different and significant meaning to the story. Throughout the play, Trifles, Symbolism is used so that the audience is able to see through the eyes of Minnie Wright, and determine why she killed her husband. Glaspell uses symbolic objects/clues throughout the play to help the audience get a better understanding of the characters. Such as: names, a bird, a birdcage, a jar of cherries, dirty towel, a poorly sewn quilt piece, a rope, and a rocking chair.

Objects are not the only substances Glaspell uses for symbolism in this story. Even the names of the characters described them as the role they were playing.

women. The opposite sexes are always arguing or men are constantly taking advantage of women. The cherry preserves that Minnie Wright had stored in her cabinet the summer before represented sever thing. One, a representation of all the women’s work that the men constantly disrespect throughout the play. Two, anyone who has ever tasted homemade cherry preserves has got to experience the delight they bring to the eye as well as the plate. Therefore. The preserves also represent the youth of Minnie. She was a beautiful, bright, and cheerful women before marrying John Wright. Three, Minnie wasn’t “allowed” to have children according to Mr. Wright. So these cherry preserves are almost like her babies. She would put herself through the hard labor of canning the cherries in order to have something to look forward to in the winter time. Minnie also used this task to pass time as she was trapped in the prison that they called home. Eventually, after the preserves had been sitting in the freezing cold for so long they shattered. This also represents Minnie. After Minnie was locked up and abused for so much time, eventually enough was enough and something had to be done about it.

George Anderson found a dirty towel in Minnie Wright’s kitchen. He used this object to accuse her of being a very poor housekeeper. The clutter of Minnie’s kitchen is used as a representation of her life and distressed mind. This means that Minnie’s

Glaspell uses symbolic objects/clues throughout the play to help the audience get a better understanding of the characters. Symbolism played a key role to this short play. Glaspell used it throughout the story to show the bonding between the women. She used specific objects that only the women could understand and relate to in order to symbolize female bonds. The men in the play didn 't understand the jar of cherries or even notice the bird cage without a bird because, as Glaspell showed, the men don 't think or notice the same things women do. This again, just shows the difference between male and female perspectives. During this time, it was a male dominance era and females were taken advantage of and very