Question

read the excerpt from part two of trifles.
mrs. peters (looking upstairs). we mustnt—take on.
mrs. hale. i might have known she needed help! i know how things can be—for women. i tell you, its queer mrs. peters. we live close together and we live far apart. we all go through the same things—its all just a different kind of the same thing.
which theme is best reinforced by the excerpt?
women could not generally count upon one another for support, advice, or company.
women were overwhelmed by the roles they had to play and usually needed extra help.
women generally felt detached from each other because of the societal roles thrust upon them.
women were too busy caring for the men in their lives to spend time with other women.

Explanation:

To determine the theme, analyze Mrs. Hale's quote: "We live close together and we live far apart. We all go through the same things—it’s all just a different kind of the same thing."

• Option 1: Contradicted by Mrs. Hale’s implication of shared experiences (women can relate, so they can count on each other).
• Option 2: The excerpt focuses on emotional/social distance, not "extra help" for roles.
• Option 3: "Live close together and live far apart" + "same things" aligns with detachment due to societal roles (they are physically near but emotionally distant because of imposed roles, yet share similar struggles).
• Option 4: The excerpt does not mention caring for men or lack of time with women.

Answer:

C. Women generally felt detached from each other because of the societal roles thrust upon them.