Minnie Wright

A detailed Summary of Minnie Wright

Minnie Wright is the major character in Susan Glaspell's short story "A Jury of Her Peers."

We learn about her, however, not in the first person, but through her two neighbors, Mrs Peters-

the sheriff's wife - and Mrs Martha Hale. As we follow these two women, we learn Minnie

endured twenty years of mental abuse and neglect at the hands of her husband. We also see

how Minnie changes because of the abuse and neglect. Once well dressed and full of life, she is

now poor, lonely and disheartened. When her husband, John, kills her pet canary, Minnie changes

from timid to agressive. She uses her talent and knowledge of quilting to finally put an end to

The first change we find in Minnie is her clothes. In her youth she wore pretty clothes,

Martha recalls when '"she wore a white dress with blue ribbons.'" (214). Twenty years

later, her clothes are shabby and (bear) marks of much making over.

husband's death. Mrs. Peters tells us, '"The sewing, all the rest of them have been so nice and

Minnie's bondage was her marriage to John.

had any children around?'" John's hard cold ways kept her isolated from her neighbors. Martha

creature who longs to be free, and make beautiful music, but is now held in the bondage of a cage.

that John was a '"hard man - like a raw wind that gets to the bone.'" (212). John himself offered

and she could talk to it, without having to worry about the bird telling her to be quiet. The bird

Lewis goes on to say, '"I guess you know about how much he talked himself.'" (204).

Approximate Word count = 681
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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