The Possiblity Of Evil Essay
The Possibility of Evil Essay
Must contradictory personalities get the best of us? The Possibility of Evil, a short story by Shirley Jackson focused on the odd behavior of Miss Strangeworth. Though Miss Strangeworth does not changed throughout the story, people just does not know how awful she is. As a lonely woman, Miss Strangeworth has written small notes filled with cruelty toward her towns folks throughout the story.
Miss Strangeworth enjoyed writing awful letters to her neighbors, showing her jealous personality towards her neighbors. 'After thinking for a minute, although she had been phrasing the letter in the back of her mind all the way home, she wrote on a pink sheet: DIDN'T YOU EVER SEE AN IDIOT CHILD BEFORE? SOME PEOPLE JUST SHOULD NOT HAVE CHILDREN SHOULD THEY? She was pleased with the letter.' I suppose Miss Strangeworth wrote this letter because deep down, she does not have a family and by letting this person feel terrible, it supposedly makes herself feel better. Maybe if Miss Strangeworth was a little more outgoing she might find the things she want in life. 'She selected a green sheet this time and wrote quickly: HAVE YOU FOUND OUT YET WHAT THEY WERE ALL LAUGHING ABOUT AFTER YOU LEFT THE BRIDGE CLUB ON THURSDAY? OR IS THE WIFE REALLY ALWAYS THE LAST ONE TO KNOW?' Again, Miss Strangeworth wrote another nasty letter to one of her neighbors. I think that she wrote another letter since she is lonely and while this neighbor has a husband, she does not -- Miss Strangeworth yet again wants this person to feel unfortunate. This uncharacteristic behavior seems capable to hurting people and it may hurt Miss Strangeworth.
Writing bitterness letters to her neighbors were just one part to her entertainment, she also has an amusement of thinking of the people who are reading her letters. 'She had been writing her letters--sometimes two to three every day for a week,...
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