SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR 3.5 ESSAY
Prompt: Write a five-paragraph essay on Shirley Jackson’s use of characterization in the short story,
“The Possibility of Evil.”
¶ 1: Introduction
A. Subject of essay: Miss Strangeworth, the main character in Shirley Jackson’s short story,
“The Possibility of Evil,” appears to be a kind, elderly lady who is well-known and wellliked in her small town. However, she is anything but what she appears to be.
B. Main Points: Strangeworth’s characteristics – proud, self-centered, nosy, sneaky,
judgmental, etc.
C. Topic sentence/thesis: Jackson uses Miss Strangeworth’s words, thoughts, actions to show
the readers the darker side of this character.
¶2: First Body Paragraph – Introductory Sentence: Miss Strangeworth’s words show that she is a
proud, self-centered, and nosy woman.
point/concr. detail 1. Adela Strangeworth is very proud of her town and the role her family
played in it’s development
(a) support/quote
tells tourists about her grandfather and the mill (p. 54, l. 23)
point/concr. detail 2. Strangeworth is self-centered
(a) support/quote
Mr. Lewis and the tea
point/concr. detail 3. Strangeworth is nosy
(a) support/quote
Quote about asking Mrs. Harper if she is well
Closing Sentence: Jackson shows Miss Strangeworth to be proud, focused on herself, and
overly-interested in the lives of others through her spoken interactions with tourists and
neighbors,.
¶3: Second Body Paragraph – Introductory Sentence: Jackson uses Miss Strangeworth’s thoughts to
emphasize select character traits.
point/concr. detail 1.
(a) support/quote
point/concr. detail 2.
(a) support/quote
point/concr. detail 3.
(a) support/quote
Closing Sentence
¶4: Third Body Paragraph (same format as first and second body paragraphs!)
¶5: Conclusion
A. Restate subject: There is more to Miss Strangeworth than first meets the eye, both for her
neighbors and the reader.
B. Her words show her to be proud, self-centered, and nosy. Her thoughts prove her to be
(judgmental, proud, and self-centered.). Miss Strangeworth’s actions, above all, show her to
be interfering, mean-spirited, and misdirected).
C.
Author Shirley Jackson’s use of Adela Strangeworth’s words, thoughts, and actions shows
the reader that this initially innocent-appearing character truly has a much darker side.