English Week 5 Discussion Forum.edited
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English Week 5 Discussion Forum
Susan Glaspell's play "Trifles" and its short story adaption "A Jury of Her Peers" share a
common origin but differ significantly in presentation and emphasis. The play focuses on a crime
scene investigation, while the short story explores feminine emotions (Glaspell, “A Jury of Her
Peers”). These variations aside, both versions successfully portray gender roles and cultural
expectations, stressing women's views on justice and unity.
First, dramatic play depends primarily on the spoken word to describe events (Glaspell,
TRIFLES
). Discourse eloquently depicts the characters' interactions, revealing their dynamics.
Stage instructions provide nothing about the locale, allowing the audience to imagine. This brief
description emphasizes the characters' words and actions, producing tension and suspense.
Conversely, the short story form explores the characters' thoughts and emotions, revealing their
minds. For instance, Mrs. Hale's inner thoughts show her hesitation to enter the Wright mansion,
emphasizing her emotional weight. The narrative approach lets readers get to know the
characters better and understand their motives and emotions better than the play.
The portrayal of the male characters is another difference. In "Trifles," County Attorney
Henderson, Sheriff Peters, and Lewis Hale, all men, rule the theatre. They investigate crime
scenes as authorities. In contrast, Instead of males, the short story emphasizes women's
observations and emotions (Glaspell, “A Jury of Her Peers”). This change provides female
characters agency and lets them shape the story, balancing gender relations.
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The setting also plays a role in differentiating the two versions. The play depicts the
Wrights' neglected kitchen as abandoned and untidy (Glaspell, TRIFLES). The women notice
little things the males disregard as "trifles." This physical context contributes to the inquiry. The
short story shows half-mixed bread and half-sifted flour in the kitchen (Glaspell, “A Jury of Her
Peers”). This scene represents Minnie Wright's unrealized life and potential. Domestic aspects in
both versions promote social expectations of women and their subtle resistance or conformity.
The short story version, "A Jury of Her Peers," is far more effective since it profoundly
explores the characters' emotions and thoughts. The extensive details and personal musings
enhance the plot and help explain the characters' motives. The play conveys the events'
immediacy via language and movement, but the short tale is more fascinating and emotionally
moving, making it my preferred pick.
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Works Cited
Glaspell, Susan. “A Jury of Her Peers.”
Americanliterature.com
, 2018,
americanliterature.com/author/susan-glaspell/short-story/a-jury-of-her-peers.
Glaspell, Susan.
TRIFLES
. 1916,
www.uobabylon.edu.iq/eprints/publication_3_10984_471.pdf
.
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