Mrs Hale is initially the most empathetic of Minnie
Wright’s life, but, as she recalls specific events from her own life, Mrs Peters begins
to understand Minnie’s plight.
When the dead canary is
found with its neck broken, it is obvious that it was deliberately killed. Mrs Peters
remembers a kitten she had which was killed in front of her by a local boy. She
remembers her own passionate reaction, which helps her to understand why Minnie may have
killed her husband-
"If they hadn't held me back I would have"--she
caught herself, looked upstairs where footsteps were heard, and finished weakly--"hurt
him."
Mrs Peters remembers
the quietness and isolation she felt after the death of her
child-
I
know what stillness is," she said, in a queer, monotonous voice. "When we homesteaded in
Dakota, and my first baby died--after he was two years old--and me with no other
then--"
She is able to see
that Mrs Wright would be tormented by the silence after the joyful song of the canary,
as she was plagued by the lack of the comforting sounds of a
child.
Mrs Peters has a strong sense of justice, and on
reflection is able to see that justice for Minnie would be for her to be free of any
more punishment.
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