Looking Beyond the Feminist Read

Out of Jessie Farine's comments about "Trifles," the line: “We live close together and we live far apart,” really resonated with me.  But not just that it helped me shift my magnifying glass from just focusing on the feminist read of the play.  I realized there were other aspects of the play which were more universal and this quote demonstrates one of them.  Instead of focusing just on the treatment of women by men, I began to ask myself other questions.  For example: how many people do I pass daily or do I see in the dorm and yet know nothing about them?  It is easy for me to get wrapped up in my life and not see what is going on around me.  Or, in some cases, maybe society (and I) choose to be blind.  I think part of Mrs. Hale’s and Mrs. Peters’ identification with Mrs. Wright helps them to sympathize with her.  They can see, all the more, the joy they might have felt if they had been in her situation and someone else came and visited and brought cheer to them.  Their hindsight is our lesson.   Glaspell wants us to realize that not doing anything sometimes does not absolve us of responsibility.