Isolation In Trifles

Humans are and will always be social creatures, they like to stay in groups, chat with others, and socialize with other humans and some might even say that it is necessary for survival. So knowing this, the greatest dilemma one could face would be the separation and social outcasting of themselves from the group. Isolation can be very impactful and dangerous for one’s self, for a glimpse of its consequences authors write tales of separation and isolation which the reader can soak in and understand its potential. Crace Chua and F. Scott Fitzgerald are two examples of authors who shared stories of social dissolution in The Great Gatsby and “(love song, with two goldfish)”. This theme of isolation and separation affect many aspects of a story but the characters and various conflicts are truely altered and somehow brought to life when real human nature is tested and denied.

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver uses birds to represent several of the main characters in the novel. Taylor saw in the desert birds nesting in a cactus which shows the connection between several characters in the novel. Turtle represents the birds in the nest because she is depending on taylor just like the birds depend on the cactus for shelter. Also it shows how how turtle in not where she is meant to be because birds usually nest on trees. Lou ann represents the nest. The nest is there to protect the birds from the sharp cactus and lou ann protects turtle from any danger , like a safety net. Finally Taylor symbolises the cactus that provides for everyone and everyone depends on.

Susan Glaspell’s, “A Jury of Her Peers”, took place during the early 1900s and focuses on the issues of sexism and social injustice that still exists today. In this feminist classic, Sheriff Peters and his wife, Mr. Hale and his wife, and the county attorney, Mr. Henderson go to the Wright Household to look for evidence to use against Mrs. Wright. When they arrive, the men disregard everything associated with women, whereas, the women look in debt, put themselves in Mrs. Wright's shoes, and find clues that could potentially prove that she killed her husband. While living in a male dominated society and continuously being belittled by the men, the women decide to not only break the law, but go against their husbands by hiding evidence. Throughout the story, Glaspell uses the symbols of the dead canary, the kitchen and the quilt to not only promote gender inequality roles but show what life must’ve been like for Minnie; imprisoned by her husband.

In “Trifles,” Mrs. Wright is perceived as a gentle woman who remained loyal until the death of her husband. After years of being confined into a house by Mr. Wright, through neglect and emotional abuse. Mrs. Wright paid back through

From Miss Maudie’s near perfect garden to Mayella’s vibrant red geraniums among a landfill of trash, flowers are a large symbolic presence throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Some might think that the flowers are merely a coincidence to the plot, but I believe that there’s a further significance to them. In particular, Ms. Maudie, Mayella, and Mrs. Dubose all are characterized in part by the flowers that they grow. The flowers unite these characters in the fact that they all highlight feminine qualities of their personalities. Some may say the flowers are nothing more then a plot device, but the flowers throughout the book showcase aspects of femininity in each character they’re associated with.

The setting shapes the mood and tone of a story and has a great affect on what happens in a story. The setting influences the events that take place, how the characters interact and even how they behave. Settings show where and how the character lives, what they do, and what they value. Characters have a relationship with the setting just as much as they do with other characters in the story. This is seen in the effects the setting has on the development of the Character Elisa in the story “The Chrysanthemums.”

The most turbulent and liberating moment of life is the moment one ‘leaves the nest’. Jamaica Kincaid’s Lucy paints the troubled narrative of a young woman finding a new life in America and wrestling with the roles society has placed upon her. Lucy remarks that “on their way to freedom, some people find riches, some people find death” (Kincaid, 129). Lucy’s battle leads her down a road of riches of newfound independence, however, she ultimately finds herself in desolation.

Alice Walker uses imagery and diction throughout her short story to tell the reader the meaning of “The Flowers”. The meaning of innocence lost and people growing up being changed by the harshness of reality. The author is able to use the imagery to show the difference between innocence and the loss of it. The setting is also used to show this as well.

Authors, especially female authors, have long used their writing to emphasize and analyze the feminist issues that characterize society, both in the past and the present. Kate Chopin, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Susan Glaspell wrote narratives that best examined feminist movements through the unreliable minds of their characters. In all three stories, “The Story of an Hour”, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, and “A Jury of Her Peers”, the authors use characterization, symbolism, and foreshadowing to describe the characters’ apparent psychosis or unreasonable behavior to shed light on the social issues that characterized the late 19th century and early 20th century.

In “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the female narrator is greatly troubled by the suppression of her imagination by her husband and her ultimate isolation due to this subordination. These feelings are reflected through the author’s use of setting as the narrator’s dreary and malicious descriptions of the house and the wallpaper mirrors her emotional position.

Chrysanthemums are beautiful, delicate flowers, which often symbolize happiness. In the short story, “The Chrysanthemums,” John Steinbeck walks the readers through the lives of Elisa and Henry Allen. They live on a foothill ranch in Salinas Valley, California, where they spend most of their days living a simple lifestyle. The Allens focus their time on maintaining their ranch, but in the eyes of Elisa, this meant more time for her to tend to her beloved chrysanthemums. Steinbeck incorporates quizzical diction and repetition to characterize Elisa and to define happiness, to convey the message that it is more important to be happy than to try to please everybody else.

John Steinbeck’s short story, “Chrysanthemums”, was written in 1938. The story tells of a woman’s struggle to find self respect and worth from her male counterpart within a very patriarchal society. Throughout the story symbols are constantly used and Steinbeck specifically chooses symbolism in order to express the inequality of women during that time.

In the short story “The Chrysanthemums” written by John Steinbeck, the flowers are symbolizing more than the eye may catch. The author displays how important these chrysanthemums are to Elisa Allen, but there is a deeper meaning to the flowers than just the love she has for them. The chrysanthemums represented more than just a passion and more than just her strength, but also her dignity. When they were thrown out on the side of the road, they symbolized her dignity which was now gone since the man she trusted them with had abandoned them and her husband she catered to lacked affection for her, because through their lenses she will never be enough.

A tarnish yellow creature stands in fear as it lingers behind bars viewing the shadow of a male figure. However, the acts of oppression can enrage the creature to break free. Feminist writer, Susan Glaspell, in the short story, Trifles, asserts how women are oppressed by male dominance in their marriages in the 1916. Glaspell’s purpose is to promote awareness of how much isolation and an abusive relationship can influence a woman’s insanity towards men. She adopts a calm yet caution tone in order to express the effect men have on women. Through the act of Mrs. Wright murdering her husband, Glaspell conveys that a women’s insanity to kill is due to the actions of men.

The story Marigolds, by Eugenia Collier, shows the harsh reality of becoming an adult in the poverty stricken times of the 1930’s. The story follows a girl, Lizabeth, as she makes the tough transition from a innocent child to an adult. As Lizabeth grows into an adult she experiences new emotions such as empathy and compassion, but in order to do so she loses her childish wonder and innocence. The story touches on themes of compassion, love, and hope associated with adulthood, but also the pain and defeat that comes with it. It shows the innocence and wonder of being a child, but also the fierce and intense emotions of adolescent. These immense differences between youth and adulthood helps to contribute to the the main theme of this story: