1. “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson
Literary Elements in
“The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson

2. Shirley Jackson
The tone of most of her works is odd, with an impending sense of doom,.
Often her stories were framed by very ordinary settings and characters.

3. Characterization
Characterization = the way a writer develops a character’s personality and traits.
Writers use four methods in developing characters
- Description of physical appearance
- What the character says/does
- What other characters say about that character
∙ This is indirect characterization.
- Narrator directly tells you about the character.
“Miss Strangeworth hated sloppiness” (Jackson 176).
This is known as direct characterization.

4. Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing-occurs when the author gives little clues about what is going to happen in the story.
Often, when you re-read a story, the foreshadowing is more apparent.
Examples: “People in town act strange…” “Mrs. Strangeworth drops a letter.”

5. Setting/Mood Setting- where/when the story takes place
Example: Small town near “Pleasant Street”
Mood- atmosphere/emotions a story evokes
Often, the setting can affect the mood, such as when a scary movie is set at night and in the rain, or a love story is set in spring.

6. Symbol
Symbol-person, place, object, or activity that stands for something beyond itself.
Common symbols include a dove for peace, a heart for love, a flag for a country’s pride, etc.
Examples: the letters represent “the truth”; Miss Strangeworth’s roses represent her idea of perfection

7. Irony
Situational irony-contrast between what a reader or character expects and what actually exists or happens
It’s known as a surprise twist!
Example: Check out the ending of the story…
Think about Karma…What goes around comes around.