Wright to be concerned with the state of her preserves, as cooking meals is a central part of a woman's role in a household. Yet Mr. Peters finds it amusing how men cannot understand "women! Held for murder, and worrying about her preserves!" (8). Mr. Hale, however, justifies Mrs. Wright's stress because “women are used to worrying over trifles” (8) and are unable to handle serious subjects like murder. Finally, while the men are upstairs, they leave the women in charge of gathering Mrs. Wrights' clothes and finding "clue[s] if they did come upon" any (10). Soon Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters discover "a large sewing basket piled high with quilt pieces" (14). Mrs. Wright obviously was beginning to sew a blanket. The two women question out loud if she was going to quilt or knot the pieces together, when suddenly the men stumble in on their conversation. The men thought the women were taking the task of finding clues seriously, until overhearing "they [were] wonder[ing] whether she [Mrs. Peters] was going to knot it or quit it” instead (14). "There was a laugh for the ways of woman," Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters, and Mrs. Wright, included, and their constant attention to household chores
Wright to be concerned with the state of her preserves, as cooking meals is a central part of a woman's role in a household. Yet Mr. Peters finds it amusing how men cannot understand "women! Held for murder, and worrying about her preserves!" (8). Mr. Hale, however, justifies Mrs. Wright's stress because “women are used to worrying over trifles” (8) and are unable to handle serious subjects like murder. Finally, while the men are upstairs, they leave the women in charge of gathering Mrs. Wrights' clothes and finding "clue[s] if they did come upon" any (10). Soon Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters discover "a large sewing basket piled high with quilt pieces" (14). Mrs. Wright obviously was beginning to sew a blanket. The two women question out loud if she was going to quilt or knot the pieces together, when suddenly the men stumble in on their conversation. The men thought the women were taking the task of finding clues seriously, until overhearing "they [were] wonder[ing] whether she [Mrs. Peters] was going to knot it or quit it” instead (14). "There was a laugh for the ways of woman," Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters, and Mrs. Wright, included, and their constant attention to household chores