Trifles {The Role of Women​}

Minnie Wright's kitchen is clearly a mess, with things out of place and things left half-done. The unevenly stitched quilt, the unbaked bread, and the broken jars of fruit that had frozen are all examples of the mess that lies in this kitchen. The women are very sympathetic to Minnie's mess and as fellow women can understand what it would be like to leave so many things undone. Many believe Minnie's broken jars of fruit represent her fruitless (childless) life. Mrs. Peters in particular can relate to Minnie in this way because she had a stillborn child once. Glaspell uses all the parts of Minnie's mess to create more sympathy for her and her isolation. Glaspell shows the tragic outcomes of a woman left all alone, even though she had so much love to give. Minnie's lack of care for basic housekeeping reflects the human need for companionship. The unfinished business in Minnie's kitchen serves as a symbol for lack of love and nurture in her isolated life.