Trifles
...it is through the discovery of these small "kitchen things," and Mrs. Hale's familiarity with Mrs. Wright, that the women piece together Mrs. Wright's motive. Ironically, the men thought these things were insignificant to the murder case.
The setting portrayed through these symbols the life of Minnie Wright, which she struggled through from an abusive husband. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters were able to evaluate the clues around the kitchen and find the underlying truth. In addition, the women recognize how the men will react to their finding - primarily the missing significance of those "trifles." This exposes the men's narrow view of women, enabling the women to take a step beyond that seclusion in a male-dominated society and have control to protect Minnie.
Rocking Chair: [Catherine Langhorne (JSRCC) says:] I believe that the rocking chair is a sign that Mrs. Wright is trying to stay calm, but she was very nervous. She was holding her apron, and she was bunching it up. She is sitting in the rocker when she tells Hale that her husband "died of a rope around his neck." Mrs. Wright was told the coroner was on his way, and she moved to a small chair in the corner. She knew that she was going to get caught.
[Kelly Bergman (RCC) observes:] The rocking chair symbolizes
her way of tranquility. She was finally at peace, and that was where she liked to spend her quiet time.
Cherry Preserves: [Julie from the University of St. Thomas explains:] As Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale observe the kitchen setting, they notice that the cherry preserves were broken from the cold. The preserves represent the " trifles" that women concerned themselves which [actually] took many hours of labor to make. The men, however, . . . make fun of Mrs. Wright for worrying for her preserves: "Can you beat that woman, held for murder and worrin' about her preserves."
As a result of the...
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