the possibility of evil essay

The Possibility of Evil Character Sketch –Miss Adela Strangeworth “The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinion.” We all have opinions on things that are not an actual reflection of the reality. We have opinions that are different than what is real. Miss Adela Strangeworth is a 71-year old woman with blue eyes and pretty little dimples. She lives in an ancestral house where her parents and grandparents lived. She often thought that the town belonged to her since her grandfather built

Looks can be deceiving as shown In Shirley Jackson’s fiction short stories, “The Possibility of Evil” ,and “The Lottery”. In these stories there are both similarities and differences. In both short stories there is an unexpected ending. Although both endings are very different in many ways. Literary devices that are used in both stories also show great similarities, and differences. Irony is a literary device that is used in both stories. A quote in “The Lottery” reads, “Thought we were going

interpretation and be used as a warning to not trust everything that meets the eye. Miss Adela Strangeworth in Shirley Jackson’s “The Possibility of Evil” lives up to the dark irony of that phrase as the story unfolds. Jackson uses irony throughout many elements of her story to illustrate how evil can be masked by an amiable façade. In the beginning of “The Possibility of Evil,” Miss Adela Strangeworth is presented as a kind and humble character who maintains a respectable appearance around her peers.

The Possibility of Evil Has anyone ever noticed when a pencil is put into a clear glass full of water the pencil looks bent? As most know the pencil is not really bent, your eyes are deceiving the way people actually see things. In The Possibility of Evil, a mystery short story, by Shirley Jackson, she uses parable like qualities from third person omniscient, irony, a free-floating sense of depravity, a gothic house, and a turn about in events to show that even if you are looking through a clear

after their analysis. The main characters in the short stories “Lamb to the Slaughter”, by Roald Dahl and, “The Possibility of Evil”, by Shirley Jackson, should have known this lesson. In “Lamb to the Slaughter,” Mary Maloney is a kind housewife this sweet who loves her husband dearly, but changes to a bitter and angry widow after her husband leaves her. In “The Possibility of Evil,” Miss Strangeworth appears to be a kind elderly lady, but behind close doors, she is the complete opposite. After

Siu Lan Huang Wu Short Story Project Written-response questions The Possibility of Evil - Do you think that Dave does the right thing by sending the letter to Don Crane in person? Why or why not? Miss Strangeworth thinks she has to watch over her town. She thinks she has to fix everything in her town because she sees evil where there is none. Because of Ms. Strangeworth paranoid of fixing things,she sends anonymous letters hoping she could stop the trouble. However, one day she drops a letter

“The Possibility of Evil” Evil is in the eye of the beholder. Just like how evil is possible in places or people even when they seem incapable to do so. The short story “ The Possibility of evil” by Shiley Jackson is about a woman struggling to find a sense of belonging and value in a growing and changing town. Shirley Jackson asserts that while people strive to be good they are prone to have a misconception on what is right and wrong or behave in evil ways when feeling vulnerable and unvalued

Shirley Jackson’s “The Possibility of Evil” is a short story that starts out with an innocent old lady, Miss Strangeworth. Then, when the story progresses, Jackson tells us that she is not the nicest old lady. She also tells us that she does not want to mind her own business. She starts writing mean and evil letters to the townspeople. The letters consist of rumors that she has imagined and she is very mean about telling the people what she has made up. She ends up paying for the evil she has done at the

Smith 1 John Smith Mrs.Jones ENG2D1-06 March 5 2009 The Possibility of Evil: Critical Response Journal The Story, The Possibility of Evil is a truly interesting story that demonstrates the evil of a community that seems almost perfect. This story demonstrates how there is probably no place on Earth that evil has not reached. The story bases itself on a small suburban town and the people that live there. The reader meets Miss

him to evil ways.” In “The Possibility of Evil,” Miss Strangeworth, a seemingly innocent elderly woman, sends cruel letters in order to rid her town of evil. When other townspeople discover her as the author of the letters, they destroy her prized roses. Shirley Jackson’s “The Possibility of Evil” not only reveals the deceitfulness of people, but also emphasizes the underlying evil of all humans and shows that evil remains insurmountable until fully accepted. Above all, in “The Possibility of Evil

Roberts and “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson are both very straight-forward stories, their details and words both hold deeper meanings. While both stories contain similar themes, they portray and tell them differently through the use of symbolism. In “The Inheritor,” the narrator fights for his life, and wins his world, but in “The Possibility of Evil” Miss Strangeworth steals hers from her neighbours. To begin, the possessions of the protagonists in both “The Possibility of Evil” by and “The

Many authors over the years have attempted to acknowledge a recurring theme; "Theres more than meets the eye". A noticably eloquent and commendable work; found in the sea of many as such compelling works, is a short story entitled, "The Possibility of Evil". The author; an american writer called Shirley Jackson, accentuates through her work that judging a book by its cover is sheer ignorance and a nescient belief.

In order to best understand Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Possibility of Evil” a critical reader should recognize the characteristics of the literary movement, Southern Gothicism. Literary critics believe that this movement arose from the American South that had “brought problems upon itself” and these gothic elements are shown in Miss Adela Strangeworth’s characterization and the environment of the short story. The Southern Gothic elements are described by a non-participating character about

Shirley Jackson emphasizes appearance vs. reality in the short story “The Possibility of Evil” because looks can be deceiving. Looks can shape how we think of people and in reality they could be the opposite. Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Possibility of Evil” is set in the 1950’s in a small town that reveals the contradiction between appearances vs. reality. In the story it states, “The sun was shining, the air was fresh and clear after the nights heavy rain, and everything in Miss Strangeworths

person might just be the norm for another. It is all about perception. In the “Possibility of Evil”, a normal town, plagued by different types of evil is in turmoil because of the different opinions of its people. To Miss Strangeworth, the townspeople drifted away from their morals, but to the town, Miss Strangeworth’s letters are the malevolent act. It all is reliant on the view of the situation, the perception of evil in the town is dependent on who the recipient is. When Miss Strangeworth’s

In ‘’The Possibility of Evil’’, Miss Adela Strangeworth is depicted as a villain. Miss Strangeworth in fact is similar to a rose, a rose is a simple flower that looks angelic but has thorns that can prick someone and cause harm. Miss Strangeworth gives the illusion of a 71 year-old lady that can cause no harm and has a heart of gold that cares and worries for everyone. But behind the pretty picture, is a villainous woman who is controlling, bullies the other townspeople, and is jealous of others

first sight. The main characters in the short stories “Lamb to the Slaughter”, by Roald Dahl, “The Possibility of Evil”, by Shirley Jackson, could have adapted from this lesson. In “Lamb to the Slaughter” Mrs. Maloney is this sweet, loving and caring wife who loves her husband dearly, but once he came back from work he hit her with heartbreaking and bad news: which sets her off. In “The Possibility of Evil” Miss Strangeworth appears to be this kind and respected elderly lady, but behind close doors she

Evil is Inside Everyone Don’t criticize what you can’t understand. You may miss out on a good story. For example, you may see this really pretty girl, but her attitude can be horrible. It's important to look under the surface before deciding or criticizing something big or small.  The characters in the short stories, “The Possibility of Evil,” by Shirley Jackson, and “Lamb to the Slaughter,”  by Roald Dahl, could have learned from this. In, “The Possibility of Evil,” Miss Strangeworth would judge

Every person in their lifetime will encounter love. Love is a necessary evil in our lives. Using the moral lense to analyze the short stories “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson and “A Bolt of White Cloth” by Leon Rooke, we see that love cannot exist without evil. The characters of the stories all encounter evil through love by means of relationships, goodwill, as well as inanimate objects. Love through relationships can be represented in many ways, for example romantic love and platonic

sweet, kind-hearted and generous woman. A woman that gives anything just to make other people happy, a women that bakes cookies for no prominent reason. Unless that elderly woman is Adela Strangeworth. Miss Strangeworth in the short story, “Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson, is an extremely unique and surprising character. This is because she is selfish, cruel, and deceiving. None of which is expected from a seventy-one year old. Miss Strangeworth does not want anyone else to have her most