The Personal Opinion Essa

1] Do you think the two women in the play (Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters) are justified in “covering up” what they know (basically, Mrs. Wright’s motive for murder) at the end of the play? If you were one of the women, would you have done the same thing? Argue for your answer and convince the reader you are correct.
2] Do you think Mrs. Wright is in any way “justified” for murdering her husband? This also begs the question – is murder ever justified? Argue for your answer.
3] Was justice served in this play – i.e, did the right thing happen in the end? It is implied that because the men can’t find a motive for the murder, Mrs. Wright will not be convicted. [Also consider this: in the early 1900’s, what would happen to Mrs. Wright? She has no family or children, no friends, no one to support her. She
can’t go to community college – women couldn’t even vote. It is also implied that her mind has “snapped”.
]4] Kate Chopin was condemned during her life for the “immorality” of her writings. She wrote about sexual repression and desire in ways that were unheard of in her day. The married characters in her story seem to love each other and to be devoted, but they don’t seem to be terribly attracted to each other (sexually). Why do you think Chopin ended this story the way she did – with NO repercussions. The sexual affairs seemed to leave every single character happier than s/he was before. What point is she making about sex, love, and marriage – and do you agree with her?
5] Argue that Kate Chopin’s character (Calixta) and Susan Glaspell’s character (Mrs. Wright) are examples of early feminist heroines who defied society to do what was needed for their own emotional survival – OR argue that, while they may be victims of unfair repressive expectations, they committed morally reprehensible deeds and should be punished. . . . (OR – do you see them as falling somewhere between these two views?)