Symbols In The Possibility Of Evil By Shirley Jackson

By analyzing the use of symbolism, personifications, irony and foreshadowing by the two authors, it will become evident that their protagonists share similarities when dealing with the recurring theme of the tragedy of unrequited love.

For example, in the Great Gatsby, George and Mrytle live in a place called the Valley of Ashes which symbolizes that their marriage is dead which allows Gatsby to try and steal Mrytle away from George. Another use of symbolism in The Great Gatsby is associating the color white with Daisy throughout the book to show that she is pure and perfect in the mind of Gatsby which is caused by his blindness to see that she has parasitic tendencies.. The Jelly-Bean uses symbolism in a similar way by making Nancy represent false happiness in Jim's heart which eventually lead to him being heartbroken because he was blinded by the idea of how perfect he thought she was similar to Gatsby. When the two females are symbolized it helps further the theme by creating the concept of that they aren't just characters in a story but also lessons to be learned and retained after the story is over. Overall the use of symbolism sets up the possibility for the reader to further understand a certain characters impact on another either emotionally or

In short stories the author composes a compelling plot, with an ending that in someway either teaches the main character a lesson, or the reader themselves. Jackson acts as a master of literary devices, as she navigates the reader through intense scenes that evoke an emotional response to the experiences of the main character. In the short stories, “The Possibility of Evil” and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, she used the same three literary devices to grasp the reader’s attention from beginning to end. In “The Possibility of Evil” Miss Adela Strangeworth caused a stir by sending anonymous letters to townspeople, filled with things she suspected other people in her town of doing; she claimed that every letter was sent with the intent of

Within the Christian faith, there lies the belief that all mankind are born sinners and through their faith can seek redemption. This belief can be found in more detail within the Christian text known as the Bible. An example of this can be found in the Genesis chapter of the Bible which portrays that even the very first Humans ever to be created in God’s image, named Adam and Eve, defied God despite his pre-emptive warnings not too because of their natural tendency as humans to sin. Not only can one chose with their own will to disobey God but one’s faith can be easily swayed by the evils of the world therefore sin can forever bind them in chains for eternity. “Young Goodman Brown,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, reveals a similar

Symbols are used to represent something else deeper than the actual meaning either in real life or in literature. In the story “The Scarlet Ibis”, Doodle who is mentally and physically disabled was not expected to live. Although, he did live, however, he could not do things other children could do such as walk or talk. Therefore, his older brother set out to teach him because he was embarrassed to have an abnormal brother. However, many years later Doodle is soon overworked until he can no longer go on, and he sadly dies. In “The Scarlet Ibis”, James Hurst uses the caul, the oriole nest, and the blood od Doodle as symbols to offer greater insight into abstract ideas that are difficult to understand on their own.

People’s personalities are not always what they seem. That is the case in Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Possibility of Evil.” The main character is an elderly woman who seems sweet and kind; however, she reveals that she is not sweet and kind. Miss Strangeworth’s character can be analyzed by considering what she does, what the narrator says about her, and how other characters interact with her.

Symbolism in literature is using an object to portray a different, deeper meaning in a story. Symbols represent ideas or qualities that the author has maneuvered into his or her story that has meaning. There can be multiple symbols in a story or just one. It is up to the reader to interpret the meaning of the symbols and their significance to the story. While reading a story, symbols may not become clear until the very end, once the climax is over, and the falling action is covered. In William Faulkner’s, “A Rose for Emily,” there are multiple examples of symbolism that occur throughout the story.

Conflict is a big issue in the story The Possibility of Evil. The main conflict is person versus society and is between Miss Strangeworth and the whole town. Miss Strangeworth is a two faced character. Miss Strangeworth pretends to be a friend to all her so called friends and fellow town’s people, but secretly sends them disgusting and hurting messages in the mail unsigned. The author of the story really makes the reader want to figure out why a person that has lived in the town her whole life and knew everybody, [“She knew everyone in town, of course; [...] she had not spent more than a day outside this town in her long life [...] She was seventy-one” (249)] would do something terrible to that level to the only people she knows. At first when Miss Strangeworth’s actions are revealed to the reader, one may think that she is crazy, but as one reads on one starts to notice some other reasons. The

In Jackson’s short story “The Possibility of Evil” she used syntax throughout the story to describe a pleasant scene. She writes “the Strangeworth house on Pleasant Street.” (Jackson 1,3,7), this doesn’t only tell you where in the small town she lives but also it is a bit ironic. Jackson uses syntax here because this string of word is reused throughout the writing in a positive way to tell you where the nice, old lady lives. While on the last page it’s used to describes her in a past tense as if she is no longer a Strangeworth on Pleasant Street. By using these words in both a positive and negative light Jackson reveals how Miss Strangeworth and the people of the town both feel. Also, it gives a feeling of justice to the reader because Miss Strangeworth get punished for what she’s doing. Jackson uses syntax again in “The Possibility of Evil” when Miss Strangeworth is writing her letters by writing “HAVE YOU FOUND OUT YET WHAT THE WERE ALL LAUGHING ABOUT AFTER YOU LEFT THE BRIDGE CLUB ON THURSDAY? OR IS THE WIFE REALLY ALWAYS THE LAST ONE TO KNOW” (Jackson 4) and “LOOK OUT AT WHAT USES TO BE YOUR ROSES” (Jackson 7). She uses syntax because she keeps the same mean, catty tone within each letter. Furthermore, expressing the hurt that Miss Strangeworth and the townspeople feel. In using syntax Shirley Jackson creates a swing of effects the reader wouldn’t expect.

Erich Maria Remarque utilizes many symbols in chapter 6 of All Quiet on the Western Front to help emphasize the importance and meaning of certain aspects in the book. Within the abundance of symbols used, two that exceedingly stood out were the broken down schoolhouse and the butterflies in the battlefield. At the beginning of this chapter, the soldiers describe “a shelled school-house.” (99). The destroyed schoolhouse signifies how useless their prior education is in their current situation. As they walk past the building, there is a constant reminder that their knowledge of the outside world and how it works cannot help them on the front lines, and many of the soldiers will not make it home in order to even have any hope of receiving an education

Symbols have a major impact on both Things Fall Apart and The Poisonwood Bible. They help display the story in different perspectives and help us understand concepts we don’t always pick up on when first reading the novels. These symbols reveal more in depth detail about the themes of each novel as well as add to the development of characters. Some major symbols seen in Things Fall Apart are the locusts which make a reference to the Bible and are a metaphor for the coming missionaries, Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, who symbolizes Okonkwo’s failures, and fire which symbolizes destruction. The major themes in The Poisonwood Bible are the snake which represents a character from the bible, Methuselah who symbolizes the fate of the Congo and the poisonwood tree which symbolizes Nathan’s mistakes.

Above all, in “The Possibility of Evil,” Jackson’s use of symbolism and irony allows her to unveil the dishonesty possessed by many people. Like Miss Strangeworth, her roses serve as a trademark of the town. And, similarly to the roses, although Miss Strangeworth seems pleasant, she possesses hidden thorns. When a dropped letter reveals Miss Strangeworth’s actions, her neighbors destroy her roses. “[Miss Strangeworth] began to cry silently . . . when she read the words: LOOK OUT AT WHAT USED TO BE YOUR ROSES”(Jackson 7). The destroyed roses represent Miss Strangeworth being exposed; there is no longer any pride or joy in the roses or Miss Strangeworth. Jackson’s use of symbolism throughout the story allows her to divulge the insincerity of everyday people. Throughout the story, Jackson also employs irony. Often, Miss Strangeworth engages in small talk with her neighbors while ironically consuming her time with cynical thoughts of the very

In life and in literary text hidden meanings are quite common. There is basic level of understanding by the majority and a concealed meaning that requires a deeper level of critical thinking and analysis. Terrance Hayes provides a “poetic style that resist style” which proves hard to interpret, but I conclude he provides a common theme many might mistake for just an element of poetry (Fabu 1). A common theme present within two of his poems “Lighthead’s Guide to Galaxy” and “Antebellum House Party” as well as ”Mausoleum” from his signature book Wind in a Box is the idea of symbolism and underlying meanings within itself and how individuals tend to look for something more in things even in life instead of being as it is.

Through reading British literature, analysis of symbols and objects throughout texts is revealed as a critical part of understanding deeper meanings of author’s intent. This is incredibly important to Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World. The famous 20th century dystopian novel centres around a future in which science has removed all elements of humanity from society, where social status and attributes are determined by the supreme World State. Brave New World opens in London, nearly six hundred years in the future. Society has industrialized to the ends of maximizing total efficiency in all facets of life. This societal efficiency is represented in an unorthodox but fitting symbol: zippers.

The literary world contains a vast collection of works, each employing diverse techniques in writing. One technique commonly found in literature is the use of images and symbols. Symbols are sometimes complex and contain both literal and figurative significance. Symbolism in literature is commonly used to bind the attributes of an object with various segments of a story to provide the reader with a deeper understanding and sometimes hidden meaning. In the short story, “A Rose for Emily” William Faulkner utilizes a vast collection of symbols, as a means to enhance the reader’s visual perceptions but also prompts consideration into theories of motive surrounding the murder of Homer Barron.