The Possibility Of Evil Analysis

The Outside Versus The Inside The theme of “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson is how someone seems on the outside, is not necessarily how they are on the inside. This is shown through the author’s use of irony, symbolism, and characterization. Irony was used in the story to show how looks can be deceiving because one’s outside appearance and one’s authentic self can be two very different things. Miss Strangeworth claims that she believes she is doing the right thing, when in reality she is creating the evil that she is trying to avoid. She is seen as a harmless, old lady but in actuality is the evil. The story mentions Miss Strangeworth’s possessions, “with the red and pink and white roses massed along the narrow lawn" (252).
She tries to hide her true colours with her outside appearance. Furthermore, her letters symbolize evil because they are insensitive and harsh. The letters are supposed to help and guide people in the right direction but they just provoked people and caused more evil. There is also the use of symbolism in relation to Miss Strangeworth’s rose bushes. Miss Strangeworth received a letter that said, “Look out at what used to be your roses” (255). The sender of the letter cut down her roses off the bush, exposing the nasty thorns beneath. This is a symbol of Miss Strangeworth. She is a seemingly nice, old lady but on the inside she is a nasty lady. The author’s characterization also contributed to the theme: the idea of being a different person on the outside versus the inside. When Miss Strangeworth was “Walking down Main Street on a summer morning, [she] had to stop every minute or so to say good morning to someone or to ask after someone’s health. When she came into the grocery, half a dozen people turned away from the shelves and counters to wave at her or call out good morning” (250). This quote shows how Miss Strangeworth is a seemingly nice lady, who is liked by many people. They don’t know who she