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Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Possibility of Evil, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Everyday Evil
Repression
The Illusion of Utopia
Community and Isolation
Summary
Analysis
Miss Adela Strangeworth takes a trip into town to run some errands. She is in good spirits as she breathes in the fresh summer air and reflects on the beauty of the town that she has lived in her entire life. At age 71, she feels a sense of pride and ownership over the town. In particular, she is fond of the roses her grandmother planted to accompany the house her grandfather built on Pleasant Street—the same house she now lives in. She refuses to give any of the roses away and is distressed by the idea of others “tak[ing] them into strange towns and down strange streets.”
Miss Strangeworth’s sense of self is built on her heritage. She believes this heritage provides her with a high status among the townsfolk, although it soon becomes clear that this does not match up with how others treat her. The roses are a part of that heritage, and therefore the idea that someone would take them away feels violating to Miss Strangeworth. She feels that her town is almost perfect, and based on appearances alone, that seems to be the case at the start of the story.
Themes
As she walks along, Miss Strangeworth regularly stops to greet people and ask how they are doing. Eventually she arrives at the grocery store, where she strikes up a conversation with Mr. Lewis, the grocer. They both remark upon the fact that it is a “lovely day,” and they share a brief discussion about some strawberries from a neighbor’s garden. While talking to Mr. Lewis, Miss Strangeworth decides that he seems a bit off, as though he is tired and worried about something.
Miss Strangeworth’s conversation with Mr. Lewis is largely trivial, but polite. The pleasantries they exchange reinforce the general amiability of the townsfolk, and their mutual remarks about what a lovely day it is confirm that the town is outwardly beautiful. However, Miss Strangeworth’s acknowledgment that something is off with Mr. Lewis suggests that all is not what it seems. Whether the issue at hand resides with Miss Strangeworth, Mr. Lewis, or some combination of the two is not yet clear.
Themes
As Mr. Lewis quietly begins to put together Miss Strangeworth’s order, she gently chides him for not reminding her it is Tuesday, the day that she regularly buys her tea. Mr. Lewis then adds some tea to complete her order. They finish their conversation together by once again agreeing that it is a “lovely day.” As Miss Strangeworth checks out, Mrs. Harper arrives. The two women exchange pleasantries, and Miss Strangeworth takes a mental note of Mrs. Harper’s age and apparently declining health.
Miss Strangeworth’s gentle chiding of Mr. Lewis begins the shift that will occur in her character through the rest of the story. Here, she is not entirely rude, but there is a degree of entitlement present. It is the first imperfection in this otherwise seemingly perfect day, and therefore it sticks out. Additionally, the repeated use of the phrase “lovely day” suggests that it is something people say in order to be pleasant rather than something that is actually meant. Finally, Miss Strangeworth’s judgement of Mrs. Harper suggests that she is more judgmental than she lets off and once again reinforces that things are not as perfect as they might seem. All of these interactions imply that Miss Strangeworth’s relationships with her neighbors are rather shallow and perhaps not entirely honest.
Themes
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Afterwards, Miss Strangeworth exits the store with her groceries and immediately runs into Helen Crane and her baby. She thinks about how “infatuated” the Cranes are with their child and takes note of how luxuriously she is dressed, with her “delicately embroidered baby cap” and “lace-edged carriage cover.” Miss Strangeworth warns Helen that the child will grow up to always expect luxury. Helen laughs off the warning and says that it is her intention to make sure her daughter feels like a princess.
Miss Strangeworth’s entitled and judgmental nature comes out again in her conversation with Helen Crane. She judges Helen quite harshly, even using the word “infatuated,” which is typically used to describe someone with an intense love that will soon fade. It is a cruel and cynical way to interpret the relationship between a mother and child, particularly because Helen comes off as sweet and well-intentioned. Ironically, Miss Strangeworth has never had a child of her own, so all of her comments are presumably ill-informed and not based in experience. That said, there is a parallel being drawn between Helen’s treatment of her child and Miss Strangeworth’s treatment of her roses. In both cases, there is an attempt to overemphasize surface beauty while ignoring any flaws.
Themes
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Unamused by Helen’s wishes, Miss Strangeworth again issues a warning about pampering children and then asks the child’s age. Helen tells Miss Strangeworth that her baby is almost six months old, but she is worried that the child does not “move around more.” Miss Strangeworth laughs off Helen’s concern and tells her that all children develop differently. Miss Strangeworth then asks if Helen has been worrying her husband with such questions. Helen tells Miss Strangeworth that she has not, but she spends much of her time worrying because her daughter is so “precious.”
This moment is significant because of how it will be weaponized by Miss Strangeworth later in the story. This is Miss Strangeworth’s most significant conversation with a member of the community—both in length and topic of conversation—which highlights its importance and foreshadows what is to come.
Themes
Miss Strangeworth ends her conversation with Helen by telling her to apologize to her child for worrying so much and then continues her stroll. As she walks, she asks “little Billy Moore” why he isn’t in “his daddy’s shiny new car,” before stopping at the library to talk to Miss Chandler. The two have a brief discussion about the library, but Miss Strangeworth thinks Miss Chandler’s mind is elsewhere, and she takes note of her interlocuter’s disheveled look.
Again, Miss Strangeworth’s tone is judgmental when thinking about the Moores’ “shiny new car.” Later, it becomes clear that Miss Strangeworth’s feelings are much stronger than she lets on, but she represses them for now. In addition, there is yet another character who appears off-kilter to Miss Strangeworth. The establishment of this pattern, along with the title of the story, suggest that something significant is wrong in the town. This contributes to the Gothic feel of the story and again foreshadows the shocking reveal to come.
Themes
After her conversation with Miss Chandler, Miss Strangeworth thinks about the many “disturbed” people she’s run into as of late. The day before, she saw a young girl named Linda crying for no discernable reason as she walked to school. Later, Linda is spotted at the soda shop with Dave Harris, both of whom are seen “looking grim and bleak.”
Here, Miss Strangeworth calls attention to the pattern which Jackson layers into the story. The fact that even more people seem “disturbed” confirms that beneath its shiny surface, something significantly wrong—perhaps even evil—is happening in this town.
Themes
As Miss Strangeworth’s walk nears its end, she begins to move faster, spurred on by the smell of her roses. Their smell can be experienced from “halfway down the block,” which reminds Miss Strangeworth of her home, a place she is exceedingly fond of. As she enters her home, Miss Strangeworth experiences a “deep pleasure” in relation to the space that she has cultivated. In particular, she is fond of the “red and pink and white roses” which cover her lawn and the slim, “washed white look” of her house.
The possible evil in the town is juxtaposed with another passage about Miss Strangeworth’s love for her roses. She finds their scent intoxicating and experiences a deep pleasure when in close proximity to them—something she never feels when talking to members of her community. The description of Miss Strangeworth’s house suggests that it is typical of what one would expect of an upper-middle-class home in the mid-20th century. Like the town, Miss Strangeworth’s house is deliberately generic— the only exception being the roses that surround it. The roses are an attempt to further beautify a space that it is already pleasing. It is deliberately excessive, to the point where it seems as though she is trying to cover something up. Roses are a perfect symbol in this regard because they are outwardly beautiful, but their thorns—which are not immediately apparent—can hurt those who touch them.
Themes
After she finishes admiring her home, Miss Strangeworth goes inside and takes care of the groceries. She then contemplates drinking tea but decides against it because she does not want to ruin her appetite. In lieu of tea-time, she spends time in her sitting room, which is permeated by the smell of roses. As she enters the room, Miss Strangeworth walks over to her desk and unlocks it with the intention of writing letters.
Even the inside of Miss Strangeworth’s home is covered with roses, which again speaks to her love for them to the point of excess. They even have a place is her sitting room, which—as soon becomes clear—is a much more sinister area than one might expect.
Themes
Inside the desk are two different sets of writing materials. The first is “heavy and cream-colored, with ‘Strangeworth House’ engraved across the top.” The other is a multi-colored pad of paper that is commonly used by members of the community to write themselves miscellaneous notes. Miss Strangeworth also possesses two different writing instruments: the first is a gold fountain pen, the second a “dull stub of pencil” which she uses to write in a “childish block print.”
All of the objects in her home establish Miss Strangeworth as a relatively wealthy citizen of small-town America, and her ornate writing materials suggest that she was being hypocritical in her earlier conversation with Helen Crane. In fact, the multi-colored paper used by other members of the community sticks out in her home because it is cheap and does not match the rest of her aesthetic. This implies that Miss Strangeworth is wealthier than most of her neighbors and suggests that she is trying to cover up what she is about to write.
Themes
Today, Miss Strangeworth picks up the pencil and the multi-colored pad, and writes a brief letter that she was thinking about as she walked home. It says: “DIDN’T YOU EVER SEE AN IDIOT CHILD BEFORE? SOME PEOPLE JUST SHOULDN’T HAVE CHILDREN, SHOULD THEY?” After writing the letter, Miss Strangeworth feels satisfied with herself, happy that she got out exactly what she wants to say. Then, Miss Strangeworth begins writing a different letter for Mrs. Harper, whom she has apparently written to several times before. This letter, also written in block print on multi-colored paper, mockingly asks Mrs. Harper if she knows her husband is cheating on her.
All of Miss Strangeworth’s repressed thoughts throughout the day spew out of her. The letters themselves are clearly hateful rather than useful, and yet Miss Strangeworth feels they express exactly what she wants to say. The use of the word “idiot” in this instance means intellectually disabled, meaning Miss Strangeworth is directing her rage at Helen’s fears and stating the exact opposite of what she said to Helen’s face. It is intentionally cruel, as is the letter to Mrs. Harper.
Themes
As Miss Strangeworth writes, the narrator observes that Miss Strangeworth does not care for facts, but rather “the more negotiable stuff of suspicion.” In her previous letters, Miss Strangeworth wrote to Mr. Lewis, accusing his grandson of thievery; Linda Stewart’s parents, informing them of her relationship with Dave Harris; and Miss Chandler, letting her know that the person she is seeing might be a murderer. Miss Strangeworth worries about the evil that goes “unchecked” in her community and takes great pleasure in writing the letters.
Because Miss Strangeworth’s letters are based in suspicion, most of them are likely untrue, although the harm they cause to her community is very real. Yet, Miss Strangeworth is completely oblivious to this fact and instead believes that she is doing something positive for her community. She lives a completely unexamined life and worries about evil everywhere except in herself, where it actually resides.
Themes
Miss Strangeworth begins to place her letters in envelopes—one addressed to Don Crane, another to Mrs. Harper—and then inspiration strikes again: she writes another letter to “old Mrs. Foster,” which implies that Mrs. Foster’s doctor might intentionally botch her upcoming operation. In addition, Miss Strangeworth considers writing yet another letter addressed to the school board, inquiring about how Billy Moore’s father, a chemistry teacher, managed to buy a convertible. However, she decides against writing this final letter because she is tired and believes three letters will be sufficient.
Miss Strangeworth’s sudden bouts of inspiration demonstrate that her letter-writing process is arbitrary. She focuses in on a target and then assumes wrongdoing without any proof, in this case before anything has even occurred to justify her insinuations.
Themes
This letter-writing process is something Miss Strangeworth has done for a year. Because the letters are anonymous, she does not receive any answers, but she believes they are necessary to keep her beloved town “clean and sweet.” She thinks that the world is “lustful and evil and degraded” and there is “only one Strangeworth left” to protect it.
Miss Strangeworth worries about the integrity of her town, particularly in regard to lustfulness. Several of her letters are focused on sex and infidelity, which suggests a preoccupation with the subject, perhaps because she is lonely herself. Additionally, vile though her actions may be, here is it apparent that Miss Strangeworth does believe her letter-writing is a valuable service to her community. This speaks to the lack of genuine connections Miss Strangeworth has in her life and how distorted her worldview has become as a result.
Themes
After she finishes writing and sealing all of her letters, Miss Strangeworth seals up her desk and places them into her pocketbook. Then, she sits down to eat and enjoys the “warm sunlight,” the sight of her roses, and the feel of her silverware. She is content with herself and decides to take a nap. When she wakes up, Miss Strangeworth grabs her pocketbook and sets off on her evening walk, eager to mail her letters at the post office. Intentionally, she chooses to mail her letters in the evening, hoping that the darkness will conceal her face and she can remain anonymous.
Miss Strangeworth’s feelings of self-satisfaction once again demonstrate her sense of a job well done. However, although she is convinced of the justness of her actions, she knows that others will not feel the same way, which is why she takes so many steps to remain anonymous. Although her actions could be seen as an admission of guilt, Miss Strangeworth never engages in a moment of self-reflection, suggesting that she believes she is doing the right thing.
Themes
As she approaches the post office, Miss Strangeworth sees a group of kids who quiet themselves as she walks by and greet her with respect. Miss Strangeworth returns their greetings and moves into the post office to mail her letters. As she is doing so, Miss Strangeworth hears Linda Stewart, who is once again crying. Miss Strangeworth listens carefully to what is being said because it is occurring in “her town, and these were her people.” Linda is talking to Dave Harris and telling him that he cannot come to her house anymore. When he asks why, Linda refuses to tell him, instead saying, “You’ve got to have a dirty, dirty mind for things like that.” Listening to this conversation upsets Miss Strangeworth, who once again mentally reiterates her belief that there is “so much evil in people,” even in her beloved town.
The kids near the post office are respectful to Miss Strangeworth, but like everyone else in the story—perhaps with the exception of Helen Crane—they have no desire to engage with her. Meanwhile, the conversation between Linda and Dave is significant because it is likely a result of Miss Strangeworth’s previous letters. The exact issue is unclear, though it is almost certainly sexual in nature. Miss Strangeworth takes this as another example of evil in young people, although, ironically, the conversation is about something Miss Strangeworth made up. Therefore, in this moment, Miss Strangeworth does acknowledge her wrongdoing in a way, but does not recognize herself as the culprit.
Themes
Afterwards, Miss Strangeworth finishes mailing her letters. She slides two of her letters into the necessary slot, but accidentally drops the third on the ground. She fails to notice this mistake and walks away to return home. Dave Harris notices what she has done and tries to get her attention but fails. However, eager to perform a favor, Dave picks up the letter and decides to deliver it directly to its recipient, Don Crane. Linda is skeptical of Dave’s decision and asks him why he is bothering to do anyone a favor. He responds, “Maybe it’s good news for them. Maybe they need something happy tonight, too. Like us.” Then, Dave and Linda walk off hand-in-hand to deliver the letter.
Dave’s actions are significant because they are the one instance of a good deed that occurs in the story. Despite how the town has treated him, Dave decides to do something for his neighbors which he believes is kind. The dark irony of this moment is that Dave ruins Miss Strangeworth’s anonymity and causes more problems when he only wanted to help.
Themes
The next day, Miss Strangeworth wakes up “with a feeling of intense happiness” as a result of the letters she sent the day before. She knows this is around the time that people will be opening her letters and she feels a deep sense of satisfaction. After getting out of bed, Miss Strangeworth moves downstairs to fix herself breakfast. She walks into her dining room to find “a letter in a green envelope that looked oddly familiar.” Miss Strangeworth thinks it looks like one of her letters but is confused about how that could be possible. She opens the mysterious letter and starts to cry as she reads the words: “Look out at what used to be your roses.”
Miss Strangeworth finds satisfaction in the moment when people open her letters, which suggests that she takes enjoyment in the misery she causes and cares little for actual reform, although it seems unlikely that her letters would spark such change in the first place. Again, she seems unaware of this fact, and her tears, which close the story, are not because of any sense of personal wrongdoing. Instead, she remains worried about the evil of others and the destruction of her roses. The roses—which hide thorns beneath their beauty—are representative of the town’s image of itself, and their destruction signifies that illusion being lifted. When such actions occur in plain sight, no one can continue to pretend they live in a utopia, even Miss Strangeworth. The verb “look” is used to suggest to a person and to a community that it is in need of significant self-examination. While it seems unlikely that Miss Strangeworth will undergo any such process, these final lines also speak to the many mid-century communities that are represented by Miss Strangeworth’s town. It is a plea, as well as a warning, of what can happen to a community that focuses too much on its outer appearance and too little to what goes on beneath the surface. In addition, this final moment is heavily implied to be revenge from the Crane family. Miss Strangeworth insulted what they loved most, so they retaliated by destroying what she loved most.
Themes
