Tony Washington
Hayden Bixby
English 101
26 November 2012

Essay Requirements:

• Write a 4-5 page essay in which you will consider the notion that “a play is a representation of the society in miniature”.

For Your Reference:

• My first version essay on Susan Glaspell’s Trifles, contains alternate viewpoints on this play.
• Works Cited (Citations)

“Trifles” by Susan Glaspell, is based in 1916 and is a one act play, set near the peak of the women’s suffrage movement. Glaspell was born in 1876 and lived an eventful life through 1948. Glaspell, a Pulitzer Prize winner, was very active in her community, founding the Provincetown Players in Provincetown during the summer of 1916. Trifles takes place in an empty farmhouse and tells the story of a murder mystery involving the married couple of Mrs. Wright and John Wright, the murder victim. Additionally, County Attorney – George Henderson, Henry Peters the sheriff, neighboring farmer and witness Lewis Hale. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale are the two main protagonists and most importantly the main women who shape the story. Although, this play sounds pretty simple to start, being a murder mystery, it reveals some hidden truths not mentioned specifically in the title. Glaspell shows the significant and varying forms of oppression faced by women during the decades of the 1900s, predominately by their male counterparts.

The symbols presented in the play show both the oppressive power the men hold and the contempt many women of the day held for their own husbands, accredited to the tough lifestyle they had to endure. A dead canary, which had been apparently killed with a rope around its neck, is the symbol of the oppression that many women faced from the opposite sex. Mrs. Wright is described by Mrs. Hale as “. . . kind of like a bird herself, real sweet and pretty”, “How – she – did change.” (Glaspell 8). In the story it is suspected that Mrs. Wright killed her husband and “Choked the life out of him” (Glaspell 10), similar to the dead canary. After long term oppression of anything, including women, the expression that life is being “choked” out would be an accurate term. Mrs. Wright herself goes from a sweet and pretty woman to being suspected of murder, those are two extreme opposites. The symbols of oppression including the dead canary and rope help to reveal the oppression in this story. For many people, oppression can only mean a resistance to growth and progress, something unnatural to human nature and character. In order to get a ‘leg-up’ on oppression, numbers play a notable role for women in the story. Women must rely on each other show cohesiveness together in order to influence events around them, which were often reserved for men in this era.

Throughout the history of mankind, people have been brought together due to oppression, in the case of women living during the time of Mrs. Hales and Mrs. Peters, there were no exceptions. Through the oppression of women, the theme of comradery is brought to the forefront in the story. During this time, women had to be careful not overstep their boundaries set by men, as they were not seen as equivalent intellectually. Naturally, facing oppression with more than just oneself to carry the burden empower these women to directly affect outcomes and their own situations. The women display for the reader the unity, which is revealed in the story when the women stumble upon a quilting by Mrs. Wright, which is well put together except for one portion, described by Mrs. Hale as “. . . it looks as if she didn’t know what she was about!” (Glaspell 7). Since Mrs. Wright was under investigation for murder, the sporadic quilting would be seen as a red flag, as a mistake of this degree would be more than rare; married women of this day knew how to quilt well as they were homemakers and keepers. Mrs. Hale pulls out the odd stitch and additionally, the women take a dead canary with them before leaving the cabin, protecting and providing a sort of shield around Mrs. Wright, ‘one of their own’ so to speak. By masking and remaining quiet on some details to their male counterparts, the women outsmart the men and also show the unique ways women of this day helped themselves and others succeed through oppression. Comradery is an important character trait of women during this period of time and definitely in modern times today. Some could say this is how the women ‘leveled out the playing field’ for themselves. It must have been tough for women of this day to keep a determined outlook and attitude on their situation. Certainly, some women were satisfied and secure with their position and there were quite many others who weren’t, but the attitudes of the men kept consistent.

In order to better understand the oppression women like Mrs. Wright endured, one must examine a common male attitude at the time, that being complacency with power. Unfortunately, these men seemed either unaware or unwilling to treat these women with much respect at all. Glaspell details an incident where the Count Attorney, “Kicks his foot against the pan under the sink” (Glaspell 4). In today’s modern world, most would find this offensive and rude, one could say, ‘try that at Grandma’s house’. The men of this day and age were both complacent and satisfied with their own oppressive nature and attitudes over women. Complacency can be both positive and negative, largely depending upon the situation and circumstance. Once an individual(s) get comfortable in a position that suits them, they are susceptible to the non-assuming factor of complacency. This complacency was shown not only through attitudes, but also through their language and dialogue to women.

According to the dialogue of the play, the men show they do not deem what the women say important or relevant. Mrs. Peters says one comment on how Mrs. Wright worried about her fruit freezing, which it indeed had due to being left out. With haste, the Sheriff fires back, speaking to his male partners, “Well, can you beat women! Held for murder and worryin’ about her preserves” (Glaspell 3). The men agree in general about the Sheriffs comment, “Well, women are used to worrying over trifles” (Glaspell 3) , says Mr. Hale. The dialogue of the play shows the ignorance and general lack of respect given to women’s comments. Even the Sheriff speaks to his wife openly as if a women’s role in the home was meaningless. The prejudice from the men is obvious and brings questions about these men’s characters to the audience. Women had to push a little harder to get fair shots for multiple reasons. Looking at the plot of the play and politics near the time allows one to see this relation.

The plot of the play tells of a woman, who seemingly, was up to her ends wit with her husband so much that she was now accused of murder, in essence cementing the unflattering reality of women during this era that faced a near lifetime of suppression and oppression by men. The oppressive power of men over women led to the US Government passing a bill called the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which finally outlawed wage discrimination on the basis of sex; specifically this bill would “. . . prohibit discrimination on account of sex in the payment of wages by employers engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce.” (US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Power can corrupt and blind individuals, groups, businesses and yes, even governments. The addictive nature of power often provides the avenue for unintended, long-term consequences. Women’s suffrage (right to vote) was passed 3 years after the Glaspell released “Trifles” and it took decades of tireless women pushing the cause in order for them to even be paid an equal wage. Power rarely is relinquished without a struggle or fight, showing that the men of this era were no better equipped to handle this type of power than the women themselves.

Americans will agree that we all want basic rights and “. . . among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” (United States Congress). The women in the one act play put on display for the audience and/or reader the struggle involved with oppression faced by men during this era. Oppression and suppression is something that will not go away or disappear and people must remain vigilant to help prevent harm done to others. Everyone deserves a voice and the basic right to live their life to the fullest. As a society, the people have not won the battle for equality, but will win the war.

Works Cited – Susan Glaspell – Trifles – Tony Washington

1. Glaspell, Susan. Tifles. 1916. MyLiteratureLab. Web. 22 February 2012.
2. United States Congress. “The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” 4 July 1776. National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 25 February 2012.
3. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Equal Pay Act of 1963. 1963 May 14. Web. 18 November 2012.

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Analysis essay of, “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks. This paper focuses on the “dramatic situation” and how the speakers attitude about that situation changes throughout the poem. Additionally the essay considers how the formal elements of the poem help convey that meaning and attitude.

Introduction

When thinking about personal experiences, “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks touches on the often emotional topic of abortion. This poem was produced decades ago, yet still remains relevant to this day. Accepting abortion and the outcome can indeed be a challenging task for many, while others adapt to it without much of a problem. Gwendolyn Brooks writing allows us to take a look at the mothers view point of abortion and how a mother responds to her unique situation. Throughout the poem the speaker shows signs of grief concerning the topic of abortion and its outcomes by presenting to us her point of view, memories, love, subtle triggers, and confusion.

Body

From the first stanza of the poem, the speaker provides us a quick snapshot of her feelings about the abortion. The first stanza is set in a second person point of view, with much of it explaining how her children will never realize certain fulfillments in life. Reading the second stanza in the poem, there is a sudden change to a first person point of view, where the speaker references herself multiple times. From this section in the reading, it becomes apparent this is much more of a personal matter to the narrator.

In the beginning of the poem the speaker shows a mother unable to forget the dramatic events, which have trapped her emotionally. We can see an example of the narrator facing more than one painful memory of abortion in the very first line, “Abortions will not let you forget”; followed by a mention in the first line of the second stanza, “…voices of my dim killed children”. Both the words “abortions” and “children” are given plural reference, which can be interpreted to mean more than one abortion is being spoken of in the writing. The memories of a mother dealing with the hardship of one abortion is hard enough, while additional abortions just adds to the discomfort of a grieving mother. What about the relationship between the narrator and her unborn children? Does she actually love them?

Not having a loved one around can dramatically change a person or entire family. Losing more than one loved one only compounds the emotional impacts of grieving. We can take a present day example from military members, who are away from their families for extended periods, causing both anxiety and grief. If the mother really loves her children, it is understandable why she may grieve over them. This notion is conveyed in the second to last line of the poem when the speaker says, “Believe me, I loved you all”. This line confirms the speakers love for her would-be children. Grief and love may go hand in hand together, especially when the love is true and viable. Most families and individuals agree separation from a loved one, can most certainly set off processes of grieving.

Expressions and signs of grief vary by the individual and the unique circumstance. At times, something very subtle yet so simple may set off the emotional response of grief. The speaker tells the audience that as a mother she would never see the opportunity to, “buy with a sweet,” (line 6) her children. This references encouraging your child to comply with your wishes, with the commonly used treat or snack. These simple triggers show just one of the many memories she will never find due to the outcome of her abortions. Other than the very subtle triggers of grief, mixed emotions can play a major part in a grieving soul.

Confusion is definitely a factor in the reading, which is a relatable attribute to grief. Confusion appears as one of the longer lasting results of her abortions. Near the end of the poem, the narrator is speaking of her abortions:
“Since anyhow you are dead.
Or rather, or instead,
You were never made
But that too, I am afraid,” (29-30).
The reader can also see 3 ideas given in the four lines. Digging into the meaning of the lines we see she believed the aborted children to be dead; or perhaps or potentially, never created; followed by confirming all of the aforementioned ideas to be discouraging and scary to believe. With a mix of both confusion and denial, the narrator shows disagreement with herself about the ideas and thoughts she is facing. Confusion is a natural occurrence, especially for a grieving mother, who has gone through more than one abortion.

Conclusion

While reading through the entirety of the poem, the narrator provides the reader clear signs of grief via confusion, subtle triggers, love, memories, and the point of view of a mother. The speaker confirms for us the love she has for her dead children as well as the painful memories, which expose themselves during the process of grief. Reading the poem also reveals the fact this is not the only abortion the speaker is writing of, proving to be a major contributor to the grieving in the poem. The poem is a great read for any first timer or anyone experienced with poetry. With a variety of topics throughout the poem, one may find that there is more than just grief, which shows itself in the poem. Other than abortion, one must ask what other major attributes play a part in this amazing poem by Brooks?

Works Cited

Brooks, Gwendolyn. “The Mother”. Poetry Archive. New Directions, 2002. Web. 12 Jan 2012.

Short Fiction Analysis Essay focusing on the notion that “literature is political” and the comment the story makes about the characters socio-economic position

Introduction

It is February, which means that it is officially Black History Month. Take “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara as just the story to diversify any reading list with some authors who aren’t so familiar. Bambara was born in 1935 (Schirack) and was an active participant in the civil and women’s rights movements that helped to shape the culture of the 70’s. Virtually all people want the right to a decent life and education, no one argues that. Not everyone grows up the same way or with the same privileges, which is generally understood. Bambara’s, “The Lesson” shows the story of young children growing up in poverty and how an educator creates the environment to help them not only discover, but succeed in learning some very important issues about their immediate world around them. Education for those children in poverty stricken neighborhoods, such as Sylvia’s, proves itself difficult to acquire, however is essentially the best way to move beyond poverty; shown by the way of role models, attitudes towards others, first impressions, exposure, realizations, and Miss Moore the educator.

Body

Today, it would be hard to fathom virtually an entire community that lacks an education. Miss Moore was the only educated black woman in Sylvia and Sugars neighborhood. Sylvia and Sugar are best friends and also cousins, they share in the experiences and lessons taught from Miss Moore. She is the primary resource of education for both girls during the story. Being educated, this made Miss Moore a rare spectacle as most children would likely “go to the pool or to the show where it’s cool” (Bambara), however Sylvia and Sugar were being forced to meet with Miss Moore by their parents. From the parent’s point of view, “. . . it was only right that she should take responsibility for the young ones’ education” (Bambara). The parents themselves realize this is very important for their children, but they do not necessarily take their own advice and at times fail to meet some of their own obligations for the children.
Parents, who live in poverty stricken neighborhoods, are not always the best role models they could be for their children, discouraging them. At times they are even displeased towards role models like Miss Moore in their own communities for no apparent reason. Sylvia herself notices this type of treatment when she hears the grown-ups speaking about Miss More, “behind her back like a dog” (Bambara). Although, the parents will “shape and crisp up our clothes” (Bambara), before they present their children to Miss Moore. We see a double standard displayed by parents talking about another behind their back, but never saying a word to Miss Moore directly. If the parents are speaking of Miss Moore, behind her back, what becomes of children like Sylvia’s attitudes towards education and their educators? One must wonder what they held against her, other than her education. The parents show a type of persona that is unfortunate towards Miss Moore.

Sylvia and Sugar both display negative attitudes toward Miss Moore, applying similar views of education and educators as their role models. They “kinda hated her too,” (Bambara), mentioned Sylvia early on. Most parents can agree that children soak up all kinds of traits from others they hear, meet, and speak with. During this time, we know that Sylvia hears fellow grown adults talking distastefully about Miss Moore. If a child is brought up in an environment of negativity for extended periods of time, they may mimic characteristics of that environment to others around them. This negative attitude towards the only educator around them can be puzzling to understand, but presents itself as one of the challenges of acquiring a decent education in their neighborhood. The children like Sylvia and Sugar are still learning and are absorbing new thoughts all the time.

First impressions are vital for children like Sylvia, as this is the very first judgment they make on whatever the particular issue at hand may be. Miss Moore brings the children to downtown New York for a field trip to FAO Schwarz, for one of her lessons that day. After arriving on Fifth Ave, it appears this becomes the first real impression the kids have ever had of white folk. Again, keeping in mind the period of time this was in, and the remembering that these children live daily staring at poverty. The first impression is that white folk are very much different from them, with fancy clothes or so Sylvia says, “. . . everybody dressed up in stockings. One lady in a fur coat, hot as it is. White folks crazy” (Bambara). Additionally, Sylvia’s cousin, Sugar asks Miss Moore, “Can We Steal?” when they are nearing FAO Schwarz toy store. This would seem to be a no-brainer answer for most, but she was asking a legitimate question on her own behalf. These comments are genuine feelings spoken from the mouths of Sylvia and Sugar. It is accepted that when experiencing something new, a no-brainer question to some, will be inquired about from others as part of new processes. Broadening a young mind by viewing how others are different or relate to them is an important part of education.

Being exposed to situations, which are unfamiliar and unknown, can be a significant learning lesson for the young. Sylvia had always considered herself very outgoing and a risk taker. She openly acknowledged in the story that “Back in the days . . . me and Sugar were the only ones just right,” (Bambara). However, during the field trip Miss Moore takes them on, she fails to have enough confidence to enter the door first at FAO Schwarz, instead opting to “kinda hang back” (Bambara). This is the same girl who went, “. . . into the Catholic church on a dare” (Bambara) and now displays a timid, shy, and embarrassed side of herself, declining to be the first to enter. Sylvia starts to wonder why she is holding back, as this usually does not happen. For the first time Sylvia sets back, and begins to learn a lesson from the toy store field trip. Feeling out of place is a normal and the experiences and lessons taken from Fifth Ave continue to expand their minds to new revelations.

If one does not realize they are in a specific type of situation, they may either remain in the situation or will ultimately escape it, education is crucial to obtaining the knowledge to do the latter. Sylvia and Sugar do not realize they are growing up in poverty until Miss Moore the educator teaches them this lesson. Miss Moore escorts the kids out of the toy store and finally asks them their own thoughts about the trip. Sylvia is angry because there is nothing she can afford to buy, thus left to window shop all of the toys for the day. Sugar tells Miss Moore that “this is not much of a democracy if you ask me.” (Bambara); feeling a serious divide between what some can afford and others cannot. At this time Sylvia herself thinks, “something weird is goin on, I can feel it in my chest” (Bambara). That “weird” is finally realizing that they are indeed living a life in poverty, the opposite of wealth. Although, this does not stop them from achieving more, it puts some questions they may have had in perspective. Without the opportunity of education like this, they may have remained ignorant to these facts. To have the young children speaking about this openly to each other is a great step in the right direction.

Miss Moore’s education to the children, such as Sylvia, proves to be a very important and valuable resource the kids obtain. Miss Moore represents a consistent and dynamic personality throughout the story for the kids. She is able to give the children’s mind exercise and put them through enough working scenarios for the material to “click” for them. By providing the children opportunities like fields trips to Fifth Avenue in New York or “next week’s lesson on brotherhood” (Bambara), she captures the children’s attention by bringing in a variety of routines. Without this type of role model and educator, such as Miss Moore, the kids would never have questions like, “Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don’t it?” (Bambara).

Conclusion

The value of education for the children end up outweighing the obstacles these children must face, when growing up in poverty. Readers of this story are reminded of both the difficulty and the value of education through Sylvia and Sugars realizations, exposure to the unknown, first impressions, attitudes, role models, and Miss Moore the educator. Miss Moore gives many opportunities for the children to take advantage of the best gift being given to them, education. They go from being close minded about some issues regarding poverty and their own statuses, to realizing the bigger and more important issues they should be concerned about. Communities must make sure to endow their children with education properly. A Miss Moore in every community like Sylvia’s and Sugars would certainly go a long ways. What can you recommend to your community to help improve education?

Works Cited

Bambara, Toni Cade. The Lesson. 1972. Web. 2 2 2012.

Schirack, Maureen. Toni Cade Bambara. Ed. Lauren Curtright. 11 08 2004. Web. 12 02 2012.