know about how much he talked about himself; but I thought maybe if I went to the house and talked about it before his wife, though I
said to Harry that I didn’t know as what his wife wanted made much difference to John-
COUNTY ATTORNEY. Let’s talk about that later, Mr. Hale. I do want to talk about it, but tell now just what happened when you got to the
house. in Barnet, 1994 : 902-904 Mr. Hale thought that women were used to worrying over trifles. He
underestimated the women’s worry about the preserves needed by Mrs. Wright. He thought that all of those preserves were unimportant and it was not needed to
be worried about. This was also said by Mr. Peters that he did not understand why women worried about something trifle. That Mr. Peters and Mr. Hale did not
understand what women needed was the proof that they were careless even to their own wives. They did not understand what was the importance of something
trifle which actually women wanted. Mr. Hale represents a man who was careless and did not pay much attention to his wife. The worse, he underestimated the
thing woman needed. Ironically, things that were underestimated by men were the signs to reveal the motive of the murder.
COUNTY ATTORNEY. I guess before we’re through she may have something more serious than preserves to worry about.
HALE. Well, women are used to worrying over trifles. in Barnet, 1994 : 905
6. The Characteristics of Mrs. Peters
Mrs. Peters was a slight wiry woman with a thin nervous face, calm and not a cruel character. Mrs. Peters was an inferior wife who thought that men were
smarter and had much more brilliant idea compared to women. She believed that women were created lower than men that men could decide the best for
everything. That was why she thought that they must obey and follow everything decided by men.
From her dialogue, it can obviously be seen that she was a good and nice woman. She used an interjection “My” rather than other insulting words that
usually spoken by people when they got something discomfort. MRS. PETERS. My, it’s cold in there. in Barnet, 1994 : 906
Mrs. Peters was a wife who thought that she, as a woman, was inferior. Probably, there was no “Ladies first” in her mind that she always gave
way to men. She pretended to be fine, while actually she was cold because she thought that warm place was not for women.
COUNTY ATTORNEY. [Rubbing his hands.] This feels good. Come up to the fire, ladies.
MRS. PETERS. [After taking a step forward.] I’m not-cold. in Barnet, 1994 : 902
The stage direction of Mrs. Peters shows that actually she was cold, but she was afraid and reluctant to be in a comfort place. She thought that a
comfort place was for appropriate persons, men. In the beginning of the story, she was loyal to men. She accepted what was
said by men even it was cruel and hurt her feeling. Moreover, she defended men’s argumentation as if she was under men’s control. She defended men when Mrs.
Hale was upset about their coming inside the kitchen and criticizing. She thought that it was their duty to check out all rooms in the house.
MRS. HALE. I’d hate to have men coming into my kitchen, snooping and criticizing.
MRS. PETERS. Of course it’s no more that their duty. in Barnet, 1994 : 906
