What were Minnie Foster Wright's thoughts and feelings?

To understand Minnie Foster Wright's thoughts and feelings, readers must examine the clues left behind in her home. She has been arrested and does not appear in the story, and so her characterization comes only through what is found in her house and what is said about her, particularly by the two women who are brought to Minnie's home.
Minnie felt isolated at her farm. Though her neighbors are people she has known for years, the work of farmers and farm wives keeps them busy, with little time and extra money for socializing or other forms of entertainment. Her world is limited to the domestic duties that are her lot: cooking, cleaning, mending, and quilting. There seems to be no love in her marriage nor warmth and charm in their home. She is quite likely depressed, judging from the unkempt appearance of the kitchen with its dirty towels and dishes.
It is also possible that Minnie felt angry and/or unsafe because of her husband's behavior. The small pleasure of a songbird in a cage brutally came to an end when her husband broke the bird's neck. It is reasonable to think that Minnie choked the life from her husband as a reaction to a life filled with psychological abuse, loneliness, and despair exacerbated by rural poverty.