Trifles

"Trifles" is  a one-act play by Susan Glaspell. It was written in 1916.

 As well as it happened with the previous short story, the meaning of this play quite complex to interpret. Therefore, these activities can also be used in a B1 level and students will be working in groups, between 4 and 5 members each:
 

 

PRE-TEACHING ACTIVITIES:

 

1. "Trifles" was written right before the First World War. At that moment, women were not considered as human beings, they were treated badly by men, they were oppressed... The social system described in the play is that one in which the father is the head of the family and mean have authority over women and children. Do you know how this kind of society is called?

 

 

2. During this period of time, women's domain was limited to the home. Read the description of the scene:

The kitchen in the now abandoned farmhouse of JOHN WRIGHT, a gloomy kitchen, and left without having been put in order -unwashed pans under the sink, a loaf of bread outside the bread-box, a dish-towel on the table- other signs of incompleted work.

Have a look at the picture on the right. Why do you think the play starts in the kitchen?

3. Do you know the classical myths "Aracne" and "Philomela and Procne"? If no, look for some information on the Internet before carrying on with the activity:

• Can you represent them? Have a go with www.goanimate.com or www.bitstrips.com.
• Do they have something in common?
• Can you guess which is the connection between these classical myths and the story?

 

 

ACTUAL TEACHING

4. There are some characters who represent the law in the play. Can you name them? Is there any female character among them?


5. Can you explain the importance these images have in the story?

APRON

QUILT

BIRD

BIRD-CAGE

  

 6. Here you have some expressions found in the text:

• "I guess we'll go upstairs first- and then out to the barn and around there. [To the Sheriff.] You are convinced that there was nothing important here - nothing that would oint to any motive."
• "Nothing here but kitchen things."
• "Well, you can beat the women!"
• "Well, women are used to worrying over trifles."
• "Ah, loyal to your sex, I see."
• "They wonder if she was going to quilt it or just knot it! [The men laugh]"

    All the above quotations belong to men. Can you explain which is the topic of triffles?

 

POST TEACHING ACTIVITIES:

7. Read the following excerpt:

MRS. PETERS: She was piecing a quilt.

[She brings the large sewing basket and they look at the bright pieces]

MRS. HALE: It's log cabin pattern. Pretty, isn't it? I wonder if she was goin' to quilt it or just knot it? 

MRS. HALE: [Examining another block] Mrs. Peters, look at this one. Here, this is the one she was working on, and look at the sewing! All the rest of it has been so nice and even. And look at this! It's all over the place! Why, it looks as if she didn0t know what she was about!

 [After she had said this they look at each other, then start to glance back at the door. After an instant MRS. HALE has pulled at a knot and ripped the sewing]

This is the moment in which they destroy clues, the of  climate of the story. The quilt is one of the most important elements in the story. Can you create a "quilt" of all the words which are significant for the understanting of the story? Have a try with this tool: www.wordle.net

 

 

8. Get to imagine that you are Minnie Foster, John Wright's wife. How would you convince the Sheriff that you are innocent? You can either  write a letter from prison using www.kerpoof.com or make a personal phone call using www.vocaroo.com

 

 

 

This is my interpretation of the play "Trifles":

Susan Glaspell in this play wants to transmit the impossibility for men to understand women's universe. In a patriarchal society, men cannot interpret the evidences or read the clues beuse they think women are innocent  Female characters establish a sort of sisterhood between them, they identify themselves totally with Minnie when Mrs. Hale says " [...] we live close together and we live far apart. We all go through the same things- it's all just a different kind of the same thing." By the end of the play, both women share experiences and identify with Minnie but this process of identification is carried out throughout the whole play.