1. “The Possibility of Evil”—class notes and discussion
Literary Terms:
Setting
Time and place a story occurs
Irony
Discrepancy between appearances and reality (3 types in literature)
Motivation
Reason for characters’ actions

2. “The Possibility of Evil”—class notes and discussion
Ironies in the names?
Miss Strangeworth
Pleasant Street
Discussion ideas
What is Miss Strangeworth’s feelings regarding her town and family heritage?
Feels a sense of ownership over the town and is very proud of her family history.

3. “The Possibility of Evil”—class notes and discussion
What details suggest that something is disturbing Helen Crane, Miss Chandler, and Linda Stewart?
Helen Crane worries about her daughter’s development.
Miss Chandler’s hair is unkempt.
Linda Stewart is crying in public.

4. “The Possibility of Evil”—class notes and discussion
Why are Miss Strangeworth’s letters an example of verbal irony?
The letters are expressing the opposite of what she has told them in conversation.
What are Miss Strangeworth’s letters insinuating to the following people:
Helen Crane
That her baby is slow and “an idiot”
Mr. Lewis
That his grandson is stealing from him

5. “The Possibility of Evil”—class notes and discussion
Miss Chandler
That Mr. Shelley’s first wife had died under mysterious circumstances
Mrs. Harper
Something might go wrong with her surgery
Linda Stewart
That the Harris boy was no good and trouble
What is ironic about Miss Strangeworth’s notion of “taking care of her town and the people”?
She is creating problems for them.

6. “The Possibility of Evil”—class notes and discussion
What type of irony is shown when the Harris boy notices that Miss Strangeworth had dropped a letter?
dramatic
What happens to the roses?
Presumably destroyed
Who probably did this to the roses?
Mr. Crane

7. “The Possibility of Evil”—class notes and discussion
In what way does the story’s title reflect the ironies in the story itself?
Miss Strangeworth creates the possibility for evil in writing the letters.