Jury of Her Peers, the Research Paper

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The women recognize they have let Mrs. Wright down by not visiting her or supporting her, and so, they do the right thing by hiding the evidence and "saving" Mrs. Wright. The governor recognizes he will be remembered only as the puppet of Francis, and so signs the contracts in his final act as governor to do the right thing and allow the new governor an equal chance to prove himself. The senator does the right thing and calls for another vote because he knows Alfred deserves a chance to live a real life and gain trust in the goodness of people. Each of these characters understands what they need to do, and do it, even though it may have ongoing ramifications for them. Therefore, the common theme is goodness in the hearts of people, even if there is evil all around them.

Glaspell's work seems to connect this theme and make it real in a different way in each story. In each story, there is an "evil" character or situation that challenges the moral character to do the right thing. Each story also has the character reflect on their lives and how they could have done things differently. They all react to the moral dilemmas facing them. Each character makes the right choice, which means they understand the morality and implications of their actions, and are consciously choosing the right thing.

Jury of Her Peers" seems to be the most popular story; it is often included in English anthologies and studies of Glaspell's work. It is especially compelling because the men are so terribly sure of their superiority, and yet it is the "insignificant" women who ultimate solve the case. The men would coldly try Mrs. Wright if they knew, and send her away for life. This way, there is doubt as to who committed the crime, and so, she may even walk away. It is especially memorable because the male characters are so degrading to the female characters, and they do not even recognize the condescending way they deal with them. The women allow this treatment, but they subtly undermine it by creating an alternate view of events and what happened.

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By hiding the bird, they are hiding crucial evidence, but they are standing up to the men, as well. By "sticking together," they show just how ignorant the men really are, and how wise they are.

Each of these pivotal characters is wise, which is another theme. The two men are wise enough to be able to look at their lives and understand there will be consequences for their actions. The women are wise enough to know the men do not have a clue, and they will not truly solve the case. The governor is wise enough to know he cannot undo the years he spent being commanded by Francis, but that he can make a statement as he leaves office. Finally, the senator is wise enough to know that his actions may cause him his political career, but that he could not live with himself if he did not give Alfred a chance at creating a real life for himself. Each character searches inside themselves to find the right answer for a moral dilemma, and in the end, makes a good choice based on their own morality and inner conscience.

In conclusion, all of these stories seem deceptively simple at first reading. The plots are simple - it is the complex characters who give the stories meaning and a strong sense of morality and right from wrong. Each of these stories poses a moral dilemma and then solves it satisfactorily for the reader. Glaspell's work is more complicated than it might appear. Her situations are complex, and so are her character's reactions to them. Plotting might not be her strong point, but characterization and theme certainly are, and these stories all illustrate that quite well......

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