The women have known that they have found is the motive that the men have been searching for. By saying “maybe they would maybe they wouldn’t”,
Mrs. Hale realize about it and they do it consciously.
4. Falling Action
The falling action is when the men come downstairs. They interrupt the women who is still discussing about the bird. Again the men cannot catch the
signal or the weird expression of the women. County attorney is throwing sarcasm again toward the women when Sheriff reminding him about if he is going to take
a look of what Mrs. Peters took for Minnie Foster. [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
Here, the men are actually very close to the motive which is the bird that covered by the quilt. Even the lawyer has touched it but, the thing that all those
stuffs are just trifles. County Attorney also says that the things the ladies going to take in are not very dangerous. He asks Mrs. Peters about her utterances “married
to the law” to show both trust and underestimation that women will not do important things. Then Mrs. Peters answer it with “not just that way”. It conveys
ambiguous meaning. The thing that is understood by the men is that Mrs. Peter says yes, she is married t the law more than they think. The men think she will not
do things which are against the law. The fact is that Mrs. Peters not thing about it. On the other hand, Mrs. Peters thinks more about the law, to give the justice
because John Wright had killed the soul of Minnie Foster she decides to cover the motive.
5. Resolution
Finally, the resolution is when the women decide to keep the canary themselves.
[HALE goes outside. The SHERIFF follows the COUNTY ATTORNEY into the other room. Then MRS. HALE rises, hands tight together, looking
intensely at MRS. PETERS, whose eyes make a slow turn, finally meeting MRS. HALE’s. A moment MRS. HALE holds her, then her own eyes point
the way to where the box is concealed. Suddenly MRS. PETERS throws back quilt pieces and tries to put the box in the bag she is wearing. It is too
big. She opens box, starts to take bird out, cannot touch it, goes to pieces, stands there helpless. Sound of a knob turning in the other room. MRS.
HALE snatches the box and puts it in the pocket of her big coat. Enter COUNTY ATTORNEY and SHERIFF. lines: 407-416
Their action shows their stand for Minnie Foster. With the empathy of experiencing the same thing, at the end they are saving Minnie Foster’s deed for
killing the body of the men who has killed her soul. When the men are outside, the women decide to keep the bird quietly. In this part the women are showing the
answer of the question that rose in the story. The question of what is the motive is answered by this action.
It now becomes clear that the motive of Minnie Foster killing her husband is because her husband killed the canary. Canary is the symbol of Minnie Foster
herself. The women can feel that too, the feeling that can be felt only by the women. Only women can notice it because women consider about trifles. Women
are used to deal with the kitchen and small things like quilt and sewing. The PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
women hide the motive in order to end the story and also stand for the justice. They know no one will punish John Wright who has killed the soul of Minnie
Foster so it is fair that Minnie Foster killed John Wright. The statement that declares the decision chosen by the women is
underlined behind these symbolic utterances: 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
At the very end of the play Mrs. Hale is saying a smart trick. She answers County Attorney’s question but she is intended to give another meaning. It is true
considering the action that she did before with Mrs. Peters and her action of reassuring the bird inside the pocket. The word knot that is spoken by Mrs. Hale
does not mean to knot the quilt but to end up the searching of motive. The quilt here is also a symbol of this motive searching.
C. The Reactions of Male Characters Which Lead to the Failure of Motive Disclosure.
In this play there are some reactions from the male characters toward the situation. In the plot the natures of men characters are exposed step by step.
Sometimes the men are dominant but not in the whole play that finally lead to the failure of men to find the motive.
