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January 26, 2007
Who can say?
Foster (19,20) -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)
"Who can say how much of us comes from our physical surroundings?"
For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in the nature vs. nurture theories. Foster has a really good point and does a really good job of conveying it. Geography is VERY important, in life and literature. In "Trifles", geography is very important. Mrs. Hale even feels that way when she says that there was just something about the Wright house that kept her away--"Maybe it was because it's down in a hollow and you don't see the road." Minnie is all alone, all day long in a very secluded home. John makes sure to keep it that way--he doesn't want a phone and he doesn't want her to have a bird. Minnie kills him for trying to take away the one thing that eased the pain of seclusion and loneliness. Had they lived in a town or city, surrounded by people and neighbors, things would have been much different.
Posted by CheraPupi at January 26, 2007 8:42 PM
Comments
Hey, you're welcome Bethany! Glad I could help..haha
Posted by: Chera Pupi at January 28, 2007 5:39 PM
I definitely agree that if the geography or setting was different, maybe the plot to the this story would be entirely different. But one thing I also wanted to add was that not only does the geography foreshadow the plot to the story, but I guess the season does as well with it being winter a time of dark cold gloomy weather as well. If this took place during a bright hot sunny summer, I think the story would be different as well.
Posted by: Margaret Jones at January 28, 2007 5:30 PM
Wow I totally agree. I noticed in "Trifles" how they talk about the seclusion of the Wright house and how it affects the way they feel the Wright's weren't happy people. Your blog made me realize that I do notice the geography more than I thought. Hey-THANKS!
Posted by: BethanyMerryman at January 28, 2007 4:01 PM
I agree with you. I think that geogrpahy plays a large role with physcial surroundings. As in the paly, where everyone lived far away from each other. This would have not been the case if it took place in New York or in a small town where people are close to one another. Geography plays a role in mostly everything. For example, people move to places because its warmer or they like to ski so they go because of the winter snow. Everything is based with some perspective of geography and setting.
Posted by: Derek Tickle at January 28, 2007 1:39 PM
I agree; I said almost the same thing in a comment on someone else's blog. Also, the set itself seems to symbolically represent the damage that's been done to the household. There are many "signs of incompleted work"; everything in the house seems to have been stopped in its natural, healthy course, just as Mr. Wright has stopped the canary and Minnie from singing and therefore stopped all the life that once existed in the house.
Posted by: Matthew Henderson at January 27, 2007 9:01 AM