Elaina Schnoor
English 10
Possiblities Of Evil
Irony & Symbolism
In The Possibilities of Evil Shirley Jackson uses the plots ironic ending to highlight the
stories message of evil and revenge. Miss Strangworth lives in a small town, on Pleasants street.
Her grandfather was the founder of this town, and she cherished it. Jackson, author of The
Possibilities of Evil creates irony that keeps you at edge.
In The Possibilities of Evil symbolism has a great important. She uses symbols to create a
different view and to hint at the outcome of the story. For example, the roses that Miss.
Strangworth absolutely adores, is a symbol of her. People come from all around and envy them,
and they’ve been in her family for generations. The roses look so sweet and prefect, but they all
have thorns. This represents Miss. Strangworth’s sweet appearance but her thorny -evil- inside.
The next symbol Jackson uses is Miss. Strangworth’s name. Her name creates almost like
a second identify because she’s described as this sweet women at first, and her name just doesn’t
match up. It gives you a hint at who this woman really is.
An example of situational irony is when Jackson describes the whether. At the beginning
of the story she says, “The sun was shining, the air was fresh and clear...” This creates irony
because you’re starting off the story with a happy beginning. A good setting makes you think
only good is going to happen. This also makes you think that Miss. Strangworth won’t be a bad
character. But it quickly switches on you and turns out to be the complete opposite.
Another example of Irony is when Miss. Strangworth writes the letter to the Lewis’s. In
This letter her evil comes out, “Didn’t you ever see an idiot child before?” When the little boy
finds the letter on the ground, not knowing what information was in it. He took it to the family
Elaina Schnoor
English 10
Possiblities Of Evil
Irony & Symbolism
for them to read. Also when they write the letter back “Look what happened to your
roses”creates a dramatic irony because you have no idea what they did to them.
In all of Jackson’s use of irony and symbolism, she is creating the theme. The theme of
the Possibility of Evil is evil can be lurking everywhere. Some of the examples of this are when
Jackson writes about Miss. Strangworth talking about Helens baby. Like how the little girl is
going to grow up expecting luxury all her life. And Helen laughed “that’s the way we want her
to feel.” she said “Like a Princess. This is the theme because in a sunny, happy place like this,
you wouldn’t expect such bad things to be lurking around the corner.
Shirley Jackson often writes stories when you think that the character is going to be good, but the
one you least expect is always the evil, manipulating one. Jackson’s amazing use of words and
details give her that advantage to portray people who appear to be a decent person. Shirley
Jackson’s purpose for writing her stories make people wonder what evil can really be lurking
near by just like in The Possibility of Evil.