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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Henry Peters tell that they will be right out as he goes into the other room with George Henderson?

2. How many children do the Wrights have?

3. At the end of the play, what does Mrs. Hale have her hand over?

4. Where does Henry Peters say a man had gone crazy the day before?

5. How many years ago does Mrs. Hale say Mrs. Wright sung in the town choir, prior to her marriage?

Short Essay Questions

1. When does Mrs. Hale ask Mrs. Peters her opinion on the guilt of Mrs. Wright? What is her reply?

2. What memory of brutal loss does Mrs. Peters share from her childhood?

3. What does Mrs. Hale do with the stitching on the quilt? What is Mrs. Peters' response?

4. What scene does Mrs. Hale recreate for Mrs. Wright after the men have exited upstairs?

5. What leads the women to discover the pretty box in Mrs. Wright's sewing basket?

6. What is the men’s response when they discover the women examining the sewing basket?

7. What condescending comments are made of the women as the men first disappear upstairs?

8. What is discovered by Mrs. Peters in the stitching of Mrs. Wright's quilt?

9. What does Mrs. Peters say in response to Mrs. Hale berating herself for not visiting Minnie?

10. What does Mrs. Hale say to Mrs. Peters in disregarding the stitching of the quilt?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define and analyze the theme of female loyalty in the narrative. What actions of the women reinforce this theme? Are their actions driven by the male characters? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Trifles contains several important symbols. What are some of the important symbols in Trifles? How does Glaspell use these symbols to propel the plot and convey deeper levels of meaning about her characters or themes?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the symbolism of the bird cage, the pretty box, and the dead canary. What is represented by each item? How do these symbols reflect the play’s themes? How do they help develop the tone of the story?

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