bias

BIAS IN TRIFLES

Unit 3: Challenging Perspectives

Bias Refresher

TYPES OF BIAS

  • Cognitive Biases:

    • Defined as predictable errors in thinking.

    • Examples include:

      • Confirmation Bias: Seeking information that confirms existing beliefs.

      • Anchoring Bias: Relying too heavily on the first piece of information encountered.

  • Unconscious/Implicit Bias:

    • Automatic, involuntary stereotypes or attitudes that affect understanding and actions without conscious awareness.

    • Examples: Biases based on gender, race, or age.

  • Explicit Bias:

    • Conscious, direct, and deliberate attitudes toward a person or group.

  • Institutional/Systemic Bias:

    • Policies, practices, and procedures within organizations that produce inequitable outcomes for different groups.

  • Discussion Prompt:

    • Which type of bias do you think is most prevalent in "Trifles"? Why?

Bias in Trifles

LET’S CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

  • Time Period:

    • Early 20th century (1916)

    • Gender roles and societal norms that created gender stereotypes.

  • Male Character Bias and Characteristics:

    • Questions to Explore:

      • What were male gender roles of the time period?

      • What were the stereotypes towards males during that time period that shaped bias?

      • What impact would these biases have on social interactions and behavior?

  • Female Character Bias and Characteristics:

    • Questions to Explore:

      • What were the female gender roles of the time period?

      • What were the stereotypes towards females during that time period that shaped bias?

      • What impact would these biases have on social interactions and behavior?

Bias in Trifles

LET’S REFLECT ON THE FOLLOWING and FIND EXAMPLES IN THE PLAY!

  • Male Character Bias and Characteristics:

    • Patriarchal Arrogance: Positions of authority held by males.

    • Dismissiveness: Mocking or disregarding women.

    • Blindness to Evidence: The kitchen contains crucial evidence they fail to see.

    • Patronizing Tone: Treating women as inferior.

  • Female Character Bias and Characteristics:

    • Empathy-Based Intelligence: Ability to identify with Mrs. Wright.

    • Recognition of the “Trifles”: Understanding the significance of the domestic sphere.

    • Solidarity and Concealment: Women protect their own, often concealing key evidence.

Impact of Bias in Trifles

  • Irony of Incompetence:

    • The men's arrogance and bias against women render them incompetent investigators, as they overlook critical evidence directly in front of them.

  • Subversion of Power:

    • The “inferior” women outsmart the men by utilizing their prejudices to conceal the truth effectively.

  • Symbolism of the Title:

    • The title "Trifles" holds deep irony; the domestic “trifles” are, in fact, critical clues to the crime, illustrating how men's bias contributes to their failure.

    • Discussion Question: How does the author’s development of bias within the play contribute to conveying a theme and larger message? What is fair vs. what is justified?

Let’s Practice!

Bias Identification and Impact Towards a Theme/Larger Message

  • Group Activity:

    • Form small groups and decide which character bias to explore (male or female, referring to slide 4).

  • Create a Claim (Argument):

    • Based on the chosen character bias, formulate a claim that illustrates your group’s perspective regarding how Glaspell utilized character bias to create a specific theme or larger message.

    • Example Statement: "Susan Glaspell used male patriarchal arrogance to illustrate …"

  • Find Textual Evidence to Support your Claim:

    • Revisit the play and locate direct textual evidence that reinforces your claim.

  • Analyze the Impact of Bias Towards a Theme/Larger Message:

    • In a brief response, elucidate how character bias shapes a theme or larger message conveyed by Glaspell, linking the analysis to the direct textual evidence found to support your claim.