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True or False

 

             Is murder ever justifiable? In the two short stories "A Municipal Report", and "A Jury of Her Peers", that question is the driving force behind the theme of each story. Despite their similarities in basic plot, O. Henry's "A Municipal Report" contains little more than simple elements of entertainment while Susan Glaspell's "A Jury of Her Peers" attempts to reveal certain truths about life.
             "A Municipal Report" fails to provide the reader with any developed characters. The lack of depth in characterization makes it impossible to draw any meaningful conclusion from the story. It also falsifies human life by avoiding the truthful emotions of the characters. The plot includes a number of unrealistic coincidences which take away from the story itself. One of the most evident examples of coincidence is the dollar bill's reappearance. "Azalea Adair opened a tiny, worn purse and drew out a dollar bill with the upper right-hand corner missing, torn in two pieces and pasted together again with a strip of blue tissue paper. It was the one I had given the Negro-there was no doubt of it." This statement from the narrator depicts the unbelievable coincidence of recognizing the same dollar bill. These and other coincidences throughout the story make it apparent that the story was written to entertain, not enlighten readers.
             Unlike "A Municipal Report", Glaspell, in "A Jury of Her Peers", strives to communicate more then mere entertainment through round, believable characters. The reader can follow the plot and sympathize with the women in the story. "A Jury of Her Peers" is not only a simple murder mystery. It depicts human emotion and the struggle between what is right and wrong. In the story Mrs. Hale says, "If there had been years and years of - nothing, then a bird to sing to you, it would be awful - still - after the bird was still." Through this statement Mrs. Hale is admitting that she sympathizes with Mrs.


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