Women’s Voice in Literature In the late 1800s and early 1900s, women’s roles evolved from mere housewives to passionate activists who were fighting for rights to their share of the American dream. The main goal of the women participating in the fight was the right vote. In an effort to rally more to their cause, women used not only organized protests but employed literature to speak out. Written during this time period, “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “Trifles” are works that portray women as passive timid beings that should listen to their counterparts. These two pieces were composed to expose the outrageous manner in which women were regarded. On the other hand, “Canceled” is a contemporary piece which depicts the female character as a strong independent individual with her own ideas. Today, women have fought and prevailed to secure rights that rival those of men. Although women have not achieved fully equal rights as men, “Canceled” illustrates the modern social acceptance of a woman dominated relationship. All three pieces are portrayals of women’s identities and social expectations of the time period in which they were written and each reveals how women today have progressed to establish a more equal role between men and women over the last century. In all three pieces, regardless of the time period, the female characters are presented as being trapped in their relationship. The narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” is forced to comply with her husband’s wishes to how she should confront her ailment. As her husband and a physician of high standing, John uses his status to manipulate the narrator into acquiescing to his demands. The narrator is “absolutely forbidden to ‘work’,” (Gilman 317) as John alleges is the remedy for her sickness. She is even banished into a room with barred windows and told to rest. The female character in “Trifles,” Mrs.