Resources for Understanding and Writing about "Trifles"

One resource you have to work with is the VCCS Litonline course developed by faculty throughout the Virginia Community College System.  You may work through it if you find it helpful.  To get started with it, look over the the first page of the unit on drama and the play, Trifles.  

Look over the drama  page.   You're going to move through this unit from page to page, clicking on the dancer on the right at the bottom of the page to move forward. 

Begin by clicking on "Objectives for this Module."  Read them.  Then click on the dancer to go to the next page. 

This is the "Site Map."  Notice that there are many links to other sites.   One of them is to the "Online Version of Trifles."  Click on it and print it out.  Click on the back arrow at the top of your browser to get back to the Site Map. Then click on "Online Version of Jury of Her Peers" and print it out.  Click on the back arrow at the top of  your browser to get back to the Site Map. 

Throughout this unit questions will appear on the pages.  They are designed to help you understand and prepare to write an essay on this play.  Most students report that these assignments are very helpful.  How you use them depends on how you learn best.  If you can learn from just thinking about them fine;  if it helps to write your answers as a way of clarifying your thoughts, write the answers.  These are optional assignments.  Do not need to email them to me.

You may also find it helpful to review the material about figuring out what you think about a piece of literary work.

When you're ready to start working on your essay, you may also wish to read the sections on developing a thesis in the Writing Papers of Literary Analysis.