My students and I love “A Jury of Her Peers“ by Susan Glaspell. Keep reading for seven reasons you should use it in your classroom as well. ***Spoilers ahead. Read with caution***
1. Feminist Lens
Written by a woman and about women, it gives excellent insight into the social roles of men and women in 1917. A woman kills her husband in his sleep (by strangling him) and two other women cover it up from their own husbands who are investigating the murder. The men are so confident that the women are incapable, the men miss everything the women discover. Extension: Ask your students if they see anything in the story that still occurs now in respect to different treatment of men and women.
2. Teach Inference
Absolutely nothing is stated out-right in this story except that there is a man who was strangled in his own bed. The women in the story piece together the motivation for the murder, but they never say it aloud becuase it is too much for them to bear. The students must put together all the pieces the women present in order to figure out why Minnie, the wife, killed her husband in such a unique way.
3. Play Comparison
One of the rare occassions where the author has penned both the short story and the play. Have students read the short story and then watch the play in order to do a comparison. When so much is left out to begin with, how do you transfer it to a play where even more is left unsaid? Here’s a link to a decent performance on YouTube.
4. Writing Prompt Gold
Since there is so much ambiguity to the story, it’s an excellent opportunity for students to explain what really happened while including valid and relevant support from the text to back up their ideas. My students are always reluctant to state too much in their writing because they think it is clear in the text or in their essay. Here, everything needs to be clarified and explained; it’s great practice for students to properly use quotes in their writing.
5. Excellent Example of Irony
Sure, we’ve all read “The Story of an Hour” or “Gift of the Magi,” but “A Jury of Her Peers” tends to sneak by a bit. It’s not as over-done. So if you’re looking for a story full of irony that the students haven’t already heard a half-dozen times, this is it. The investigators (men) come into the house quite cocky and even mock the women for discussing what they think are trivial aspects of the house and crime scene. Really, the women are piecing together exactly what happen and then hide it from the men even as the men continue to mock them.
6. Discussions About Justice
Not only is the murder motive a bit murky, but the ideas of justice in this case are as well. This story sets up great discussions on what justice means and how we ensure justice for all. I like to find old quotes from famous presidents and politicians on justice and have students apply it to this case. According to Lincoln, is Minnie guilty? Why or why not? You can do written responses, socratic seminar, philosophical chairs, or just about any other preffered discussion strategy you use in the classroom. The women who hide the evidence and the man who was murdered can also stand trial for their crimes.
7. Character Map
Who doesn’t love a good character map? There are backstories galore here so I like to have my students create a character map for the story. Each backstory helps develop motive in the present so the students must know who experienced what in the past. And yes, this would probably lend itself to a great one-pager activity.
So, have I convinced you of the awesomeness that is Glaspell’s story? Do you not have the time to put together your own unit? Fear not! Click here to check out my lesson plans on TpT.
Also, if you ever want to engage your students in a murder mystery in the classroom, check out my post about how to create your own murder mystery lesson.
