9.1: Trifles: The Rise of Modern Feminism on the Stage, Part 1
Question 16 • MO-English Language Arts 11 B-CR
Read the excerpt from part one of Trifles.HALE. I didn’t hear or see anything; I knocked at the door, and still it was all quiet inside. I knew they must be up, it was past eight o’clock. So I knocked again, and I thought I heard somebody say, “Come in.” I wasn’t sure, I’m not sure yet, but I opened the door—this door (indicating the door by which the two women are still standing), and there in that rocker—(pointing to it) sat Mrs. Wright. (They all look at the rocker.)How does the underlined stage direction affect the mood of the scene?
Answer
A
The emphasis on the rocker creates a tense mood as everyone is reminded of where Mrs. Wright calmly sat as she discussed her dead husband.
B
The emphasis on the rocker creates a hostile mood as the characters envision Mrs. Wright and the lack of emotion she showed as she sat rocking.
C
The emphasis on the rocker creates a calm mood as the reader is reminded of something that is typically used to pacify or soothe individuals.
D
The emphasis on the rocker creates a warm mood as the reader becomes focused on something that is often associated with fond memories.
Explanation
The stage direction makes everyone look at the rocker where Mrs. Wright sat when Hale found her. This draws attention to the unsettling contrast between her calm presence in the chair and the fact that her husband was dead. That reminder creates tension; the focus is not mainly on the rocker as a soothing or sentimental object.
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