Trifles vs. A Jury of Her Peers

In life, perception is reality. Such is true for literature as well. The same situation is depicted as a play and as a short story. There are advantages and disadvantages of both forms. Each form has its own point of view.

The short story version is my personal preference. Details that are included in this form of the story were left out in the play. The reader has a better sense of the overall situation and how the characters reacted to things. The short story version has a better flow to the situation. The characters are introduced further because the reader sees more than just the spoken words.

The play form does have its perks also. With this version, spoken lines are written out with very little added detail. The reader does get a sense of the characters by interpreting any body language that is noted. Also, the reader sees the actual word choice of the characters, which says much about one’s attitude. However, the reader may not fully understand the technical side of the story because the details are left out.

I feel like the short story version lends itself more easily to a cultural and historical analysis. In the story, details are included that are vital to understanding the time period and culture. Characters’ unspoken conversations can also be followed in this version.