Posted by Sara Dastoum (24.10.25.68) on June 20, 2005 at 9:17:10 p.m.:
In Reply to: Unit 2 "A Jury..." and Trifles Question 1 posted by Jeanne Guerin on June 20, 2005 at 8:35:41 a.m.:
>Drama vs. Short Story:
>In the opening scene of the story how is the setting established differently from the way it is in the play?
In the opening scene of the story, the reader is focused on Mrs. Hale and her kitchen. This is established differently from the play, because the play begins in Mrs. Wright's kitchen. I much prefer the opening scene of the short story than the play because I automatically realize why Mrs. Hale is so sympathetic with Mrs. Wright's messy kitchen. The men criticize Mrs. Wright's kitchen for being messy and unkept. However, Mrs. Hale herself had left her kitchen just about the same way. This is turn also helps me realize that there was something obviously wrong with Mrs. Wright to begin with. If Mrs. Hale was rushed out of her kitchen and was kept from cleaning up, then what was so important that Mrs. Wright's kitchen was left the same way? The short story sets the scene for necessary details that will be important to us, as well as to the protagonist (Mrs. Hale) throughout the story.