Rhetorical Analysis Of Trifles

1. Diction
Diction is very important in the given passage from Trifles, it contributes to characterization and plot in multiple ways, making for a better piece of literary work. By using diction in this passage the writer was able to portray the characters very well due to the images of the characters that are clearly formed in the readers’ minds. Through diction and characterization we are able to get too know Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters and realize that they are two very different individuals. We can see that Mrs. Hale is much more laid back and innocent where Mrs. Peters is more blunt and to the point. Mrs. Hale seems to be much more concerned with children, and how Mrs. Wright used to constantly sing, but her husband took that away from her.
An excellent example of where dictation contributed to the plot would be when Mrs. Peters says, “My, it’s a good thing the men couldn’t hear us. Wouldn’t they just laugh! Getting all stirred up over a little thing like a-dead canary. As if that could have anything to do with-with-wouldn’t they laugh!” Although Mrs. Peters doesn’t come out and say it directly through the diction the reader is able to make a couple very important assumptions about the plot, for example, it is obvious that Mrs. Peters is nervous, because she won’t come out and say what she is thinking, this shows that she may have suspicions as to how Mr. Wright died. Also, aside from sounding nervous Mrs. Peters also seems to be doubting herself, this is important to the plot because the reader can make assumptions that Mrs. Peters knows exactly what has happened, but won’t say it because then it will become very real that Mrs. Wright murdered her husband. Not only does diction contribute to characterization but, it contributes to plot as well, involving the readers’ more into the story and keeping them on edge to know how the story will