Mrs. Wright's Role in Trifles

Mrs. Wright’s role in Trifles

Trifles was a story that projected all of its words into a picture and made for an amazing story. As I was reading through Trifles I found a dramatic, suspenseful piece of literature that allowed the reader to pull himself in and think as the main character but hardly never say a word. Not only did I find it interesting how the words and colors allowed me to picture what I was reading, I also found interesting the significance of the bird in comparison to the story.

The Story Trifles was set on a very gloomy farmhouse that had appeared to be abandoned. The story involved Mr. and Mrs. Hales, Mrs. Peters, a sheriff, and a county attorney. It begins as everyone is walking through the disheveled house and Mr. Hale tells the sheriff about his encounter with Mrs. Hale the previous night; “ “I want to see John” then Mrs. Wright left. “Can’t I see John” Mrs. Wright replied no, “ain't he home?” Mrs. Wright replied yes, “then why can’t I see him?” Mrs. Wright said because he is dead” ” (Trifles, pg 1225). Mrs. Wright went onto tell Mr. Hale about her husband’s tragic death. Mrs. Wright’s emotionless response to the questions asked by Mr. Hale added a strange and eerie feeling to the story. Skeptical, The sheriff and attorney still wanted to walk through the house and investigate more and see if there were any motives they could come across. Two of Mrs. Wright’s only friends, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, then stopped by the house to pick up some items Mrs. Wright had requested. During their visit, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters found a birdcage with no bird in it. They grew curious and soon came across a small box with a dead bird wrapped in silk. Scared and somewhat confused, Mrs. Hale said, “ “ But Mrs. Peters - look at it! Its neck! It’s all – other side to. Mrs. Peters said “someone – rung – its – neck” ” (Trifles pg. 1223).

Mrs. Wright had no lines in this play, yet her silence said more then any of the characters. Her absence of a voice in the story left a lot for the reader to fill in. The author probably left her character open so the reader could figure out what happened and why. It challenged the reader to look deeper into the story. Even the colors incorporated in Trifles help to create a visual perspective into the story. All the gloomy and dull colors used really set the tone and allowed for a direct comparison to Mrs. Wright’s life.

One of the biggest comparisons in the book could have been made to the bird and Mrs. Wrights past. Mrs. Wright wanted a family, which presented a problem since Mr. Wright didn’t want children or even a pet. Over the past several years, Mr. Wright wouldn’t even let Mrs. Wright leave the farm. Her only true passion, singing, was stripped away from her when Mr. Wright told her she wasn’t allowed to sing in the choir anymore. To say the least, Mrs. Wright led a lonely and pathetic life. She felt insignificant and secluded from the rest of the town. Mrs. Wright had bought a beautiful