Hale hides the bird in her coat pocket and Mrs. Peters keeps the secret. Both women cover up the truth and the men return to the search for evidence (1624). The play is filled with symbols, especially the broken cage and the dead bird, which could have represented Minnie Wright herself, a woman whose zest for life had been squeezed out of her by her tyrant of a husband. The women discuss Minnies life. Mrs. Hale remembered Minnie Wright as a happy, beautiful, gifted young girl before the years of toil and mistreatment by John Wright had turned her into a sad, lonely and perhaps, battered woman (1624). Mrs. Hale was sympathetic because she also was a farm wife but at least, she had her children to keep her company. Mrs. Hale felt guilty that she hadnt taken the time to visit Minnie Wright but she excused herself saying that their was so much work to do on the farm and the Wright place never looked cheerful. Moreover, we must notice that neighbors were few and far away from each other. Houses were miles apart separated by farmland and rough country; therefore visiting was a daylong trip. In addition, we can presume that the party telephone was a threat to Minnies husband growing sense of possession of his wife. He refused by saying that folks talked too much anyway, and all he wanted was peace and quiet Minnie was a caged bird living a very lonely life, with no children, no family except for her husband, and no friends. The cage represents her home, which was found broken. To some, these dreary conditions, might have seemed to lessen peoples pride, soul, and hope for something better. What we learn through dialogue about Mr. Wright gives us the portrayal of a man able of keeping his wife in a confine in a cage. We are told he was a hard workingman but not too sociable, he was not very nice to people, and minded his own business. Moreover, this was the prefect background to give Minnie a justifiable motive for killing her husband. In con...
