Read the excerpt from part two of Trifles.

Question

MRS. HALE. It’s a log cabin pattern. Pretty, isn’t it? I wonder if she was goin’ to quilt or just knot it? (Footsteps have been heard coming down the stairs. The Sheriff enters, followed by Hale and the County Attorney.)

SHERIFF. They wonder if she was going to quilt or just knot it. (The men laugh, the women look abashed.)

Which theme is best reinforced by the excerpt?
The thoughts and opinions of women were not considered noteworthy.
The relationships between men and women were somewhat competitive.
The daily deeds of women were quite complex and detail oriented.
The dedication that women had for their communities was unmatched.

Answer 1

The theme best reinforced by the excerpt is: The thoughts and opinions of women were not considered noteworthy.

In the excerpt, we see Mrs. Hale's observation about the quilt being dismissed lightly by the men, who laugh in response. This highlights the lack of respect and seriousness with which women's thoughts and contributions are treated in the context of the play. The women's interests and insights are not valued in the same way as those of the men, emphasizing the theme that women's perspectives are often overlooked or disregarded.

Answer 2

Read the excerpt from part two of Trifles.

MRS. PETERS (looking upstairs). We mustn’t—take on.

MRS. HALE. I might have known she needed help! I know how things can be—for women. I tell you, it’s queer, Mrs. Peters. 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.

Which theme is best reinforced by the excerpt?
Women could not generally count upon one another for support, advice, or company.
Women were overwhelmed by the roles they had to play and usually needed extra help.
Women generally felt detached from each other because of the societal roles thrust upon them.
Women were too busy caring for the men in their lives to spend time with other women.

Answer 3

The theme best reinforced by the excerpt is: Women generally felt detached from each other because of the societal roles thrust upon them.

In this passage, Mrs. Hale acknowledges a shared experience among women but also notes that despite living closely together, they feel distant from one another. Her reflection on how they all "go through the same things" but in different ways highlights the isolation that can stem from societal expectations and roles assigned to women, reinforcing the theme of detachment due to these roles.

Answer 4

Based on part two of Trifles, what did the bird’s singing most likely symbolize to Mrs. Wright?
honesty and strength
freedom and beauty
talent and success
nature and equality

Answer 5

In part two of Trifles, the bird’s singing most likely symbolizes freedom and beauty to Mrs. Wright. The canary represents a sense of joy and vitality that contrasts sharply with Mrs. Wright's oppressive environment and her difficult life. The loss of the bird, and the way it was treated, underscores the themes of confinement and the longing for liberation, reflecting Mrs. Wright's own struggles for freedom and happiness.

Answer 6

In part two of Trifles, how does the image of the dead bird wrapped in a silk cloth strengthen the feminist theme that women often suffer abuses within a male-dominated society?
The bird symbolizes loneliness, which Mrs. Wright endured throughout her marriage to Mr. Wright.
The bird symbolizes Mrs. Wright’s beauty, which heightened Mr. Wright’s insecurities about his marriage.
The bird symbolizes Mrs. Wright’s hopes of a singing career, which likely died when she married Mr. Wright.
The bird symbolizes nature, which Mrs. Wright missed greatly once she became secluded in the house.

Answer 7

The image of the dead bird wrapped in a silk cloth strengthens the feminist theme that women often suffer abuses within a male-dominated society because the bird symbolizes loneliness, which Mrs. Wright endured throughout her marriage to Mr. Wright.

The bird, once a source of beauty and song, represents Mrs. Wright’s lost happiness and vitality, with its death reflecting the emotional and perhaps physical abuse she faced in her marriage. The wrapping of the bird in a silk cloth suggests an attempt to preserve its beauty and significance, highlighting Mrs. Wright’s longing for connection and joy in a life that had become stifling and oppressive. This imagery emphasizes the broader theme of women's struggles and suffering within a patriarchal society.