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"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and the short play "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell contained examples of irony and symbolism that make the reader rethink what the story was about. As plots developed, the writers revealed interesting facts about the characters and adds a new dimension to the stories.
"The Story of an Hour" reveals that Mrs. Mallard was informed that her husband has died in an accident. She is "young, with a fair calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength", which gives the reader an insight into the length of her marriage and that she has tolerated this marriage with minimal depression. In contrast, Mrs. Wright in Trifles has not fared as well. Mrs. Wright has been in an overly-bearing marriage and her freedom was gained after she murdered her husband. She is described as "shabby" after "thirty years" with Mr. Wright and things are no longer "cheerful" in the household. Mr. Wright has silenced Mrs. Wright's bird, which was possibly the last refuge of happiness she could find. Mrs. Hale finds the bird cage and this reveals to the reader more insight that Mr. Wright has been "rough with it", possibly like he has been with Mrs. Wright in the marriage. The bird's singing may have reminded Mrs. Wright how she had sang "real sweet and pretty' for so many years in the "church choir" and she was going to have a voice again by silencing him after years of oppression.
"The Story of an Hour" reveals that Mrs. Mallard was informed that her husband has died in an accident. She is "young, with a fair calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength", which gives the reader an insight into the length of her marriage and that she has tolerated this marriage with minimal depression. In contrast, Mrs. Wright in Trifles has not fared as well. Mrs. Wright has been in an overly-bearing marriage and her freedom was gained after she murdered her husband. She is described as "shabby" after "thirty years" with Mr. Wright and things are no longer "cheerful" in the household. Mr. Wright has silenced Mrs. Wright's bird, which was possibly the last refuge of happiness she could find. Mrs. Hale finds the bird cage and this reveals to the reader more insight that Mr. Wright has been "rough with it", possibly like he has been with Mrs. Wright in the marriage. The bird's singing may have reminded Mrs. Wright how she had sang "real sweet and pretty' for so many years in the "church choir" and she was going to have a voice again by silencing him after years of oppression.