The emergence of the men in this play is made in such a lucky and appropriate time. They appear in the time when the important thing happens in the
motive searching. Unfortunately, they always fail to notice the hints about the motive. In the part when the women were shocked by the espial of the birdcage
and the killed bird in a scissors box, the men come and they still being imperceptive.
COUNTY ATTORNEY: as one turning from serious things to little pleasantries
Well ladies, have you decided whether see was going to quilt it or knot it?
MRS PETERS: We think she was going to—knot it. COUNTY ATTORNEY: Well, that’s interesting, I’m sure. seeing the
bird cage Has the bird flown?
MRS HALE: putting more quilt pieces over the box We think the—cat got it.
COUNTY ATTORNEY: preoccupied Is there a cat? [MRS HALE glances in a quick covert way at MRS PETERS]
MRS PETERS: Well, not know. They’re superstitious you know, They leave.
COUNTY ATTORNEY: to the sheriff continuing an interrupted conversation..
lines: 327-336 When the men come to pass the kitchen again, the atmosphere of the kitchen has
been tighten, but they don’t sense it. County Attorney start the conversation with chit chatting about the quilt pieces until he see the bird cage. He almost has a
suspicion to it but he back to his business to find the motive.
3. Being Insensitive Toward the Women Gesture and Utterance
The male characters did not show up in the climax of the play. Basically Trifles’
plot is lead by the female characters. While the male characters is upstairs, the climax happens. Furthermore, the ignorance of men still carried on to the
falling action. Up to when the conflict happened to the ladies, the men still did not PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
catch or realize any signal. The underestimation toward woman finally leads them to the failure of motive disclosure. They cannot see the change in women’s action
and saying. They cannot grab the meaning behind the words spoken by the women. They only think that women are stupid to talking over the cage and they
just ask where the bird is. In the underestimation of men there laid a naive and innocence thought toward women. The men think that the women will not think
further behind the empty bird cage. The nature of the men which is in the first part of the play shown critical became nothing because they think only in their zone.
When the male characters went downstairs, they did not react againts the change in the female characters’ behavior. The female characters had been
covering the box in which lays the motive itself, but they still did not notice the awkwardness.
[The LAWYER goes to the table, picks up the apron, laughs.] COUNTY ATTORNEY: Oh, I guess they’re not very dangerous things the
ladies have picked out. Moves a few things about, disturbing the quilt pieces which cover the box. Steps back No, Mrs.
Peters doesn’t need supervising. For that matter, a sheriff’s wife is married to the law. Ever think of it that way, Mrs. Peters?
MRS PETERS: Not—just that way. lines: 397-402
County Attorney said that what the ladies have picked out were not very dangerous things and he almost touched the box but failed to figure out what is
inside. That deeds is an irony, County Attorney is really close to the motive that have been looked for, the most important things, but he said that it is not
important because of his underestimation toward trifles. They forget that Minnie Foster is a woman that they should be
investigating using the woman’s way. The men think that the things women do is PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
no more than trifles. Again, in a very close state to the motive, the male characters fail to grab it because of being insensitive and underestimate the women.
At the final, when the women decide to hide the dead bird which is actually the motive the men still way apart from it. They even have time to
mocking the women if the women are going to quilt or knot the wire, the question to prove the victory of women.
COUNTY ATTORNEY: facetiously Well, Henry, at least we found out that she was not going to quilt it. She was going to—what is it
you call it, ladies? MRS. HALE [Her hand against her pocket.] We call it—knot it, Mr.
Henderson. lines: 417-419
When the women answer it with the word knot it, they really mean to knot all the case because they have gotten the motive and going to demolish it. The
male characters’ reaction toward the condition made them fail. They didn’t even think that the utterance of women means more that it sounded.They cannot catch
the meaning behind the words “knot it” and quilt it”. The ignorance of small sign, weird gesture of women, dirty abandoned kitchen and piece of quilt finally lead to
the failure for sure. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
47
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION
At the first part of analysis, the founding of natures of the male characters is needed. The male characters bring some natures which they share in common
and belong to each of them. The natures of the male characters are analyzed by observing other character’s utterances, by statement of the author, and by the
action and utterances of the character. Mr. Lewis Hale is a farmer neighbor of John Wright. He is a man in the
middle of his age. He is naive, honest, and underestimating women. Mr. Henry Peters is a sheriff. He is a straight forward and a well-prepared person. He is also
underestimating women. The last one is Mr. Henderson or County Attorney. He is a young man but has the highest social position in this play. He is a straight
forward and critical person. He is also underestimating women and the things that women did.
Using the Freytag’s theory, the play is divided into five elements of plot. The first is exposition, second raising action, third climax, forth falling action, and
the last resolution. The exposition at the beginning of the play is describing the setting of place which is in the kitchen, setting o the time, which is in winter,
social setiing, which is in a farmer- low class society, and also introducing the characters and their position.
Before raising action there is an inciting incident. It is when the women find the bad sewing. The raising action is when the women find a bird cage. It
makes them wondering that if there is a bird cage there must be a bird in it. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
