1.Summarize, in brief, the article’s main points. Consider a few, not all, of these questions: What does the critic tell us about the construction of gender through this story? What techniques did Steinbeck use in the plot to show gender ideologies? How does this story work with what you know about the Doctrine of Separate Spheres? Does the critic fall short in his/her analysis? Does the critic make any astonishing points?
2. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are the “jury” for Mrs. Wright in Trifles (also known as “A Jury of Her Peers” in short story format). How were these women able to find the motive in the domestic sphere (the trifles) and all of the evidence needed to convict Mrs. Wright when the men could not find anything out of the ordinary? Explain the significance of what they found. Explain the irony in the case and the discovery of evidence.
