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Themes and Colors
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.
At the heart of “The Possibility of Evil” is the revelation that evil exists in our everyday lives, which often goes unnoticed by the person perpetrating it. Miss Strangeworth spends her days cataloging the flaws she perceives in her neighbors, only to spend her evenings criticizing them anonymously via letters. Throughout the story, Miss Strangeworth remains steadfast in the belief that she is helping to purge her community of evil, while remaining completely oblivious to the harm she is causing. Central to Miss Strangeworth’s concerns—and to the story’s critique of Miss Strangeworth—is the idea that evil crops up everywhere, even in places one does not expect it. Miss Strangeworth sees evil in how Don and Helen Crane pamper their child and in the romantic relationship forming between Linda Stewart and Dave Harris. Meanwhile, the story sees evil primarily in Miss Strangeworth herself. Though she is confident in the virtue of her letters, the evil contained within them is apparent to anyone else who reads them. Nowhere in her letters is Miss Strangeworth offering constructive criticism, nor is she relying on facts. (As the narrator observes, Miss Strangeworth prefers “the more negotiable stuff of suspicion” over facts.) She spreads venomous gossip—much of which has the potential to destroy relationships—only to provide herself with a sense of satisfaction. Furthermore, while a couple of her accusations are serious offences (adultery, murder), some are minor infractions (shoplifting), and others—such as those pertaining to Dave Harris—appear to be entirely unfounded. As she writes her destructive letters, Miss Strangeworth points the finger at everyone around her, failing to notice that she is the perpetrator of the most pervasive evil in her neighborhood.
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Everyday Evil ThemeTracker
The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Everyday Evil appears in each chapter of The Possibility of Evil. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
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Everyday Evil Quotes in The Possibility of Evil
Below you will find the important quotes in The Possibility of Evil related to the theme of Everyday Evil.
The Possibility of Evil Quotes
Miss Adela Strangeworth stepped daintily along Main Street on her way to the grocery. The sun was shining, the air was fresh and clear after the night’s heavy rain, and everything in Miss Strangeworth’s little town looked washed and bright. Miss Strangeworth took deep breaths and thought that there was nothing in the world like a fragrant summer day.
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These are the opening lines of “The Possibility of Evil,” which succinctly introduce Miss Strangeworth and the town she lives in. It is immediately clear that Miss Strangeworth loves the look, feel, and smell of the town—she even walks “daintily,” as if trying not to damage it. The town itself sounds perfect—but perhaps too perfect. Although the day looks “washed and bright,” this is only the case because of the rain from the night before. This duality of night and day corresponds with Miss Strangeworth’s letter-writing habits: she is kind during the day, only to let out her anger at Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut.
Miss Strangeworth never gave away any of her roses, although the tourists often asked her. The roses belonged on Pleasant Street, and it bothered Miss Strangeworth to think of people wanting to carry them away, to take them into strange towns and down strange streets.
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This quote appears shortly after the first mention of Miss Strangeworth’s roses. The repeated references to the roses establish them as a key symbol in the story, and in this quote Miss Strangeworth’s feelings about her roses are further elaborated. It is made clear that Miss Strangeworth never gives her roses away to strangers because she worries about what will become of them under someone else’s care. Miss Strangeworth’s worries about “strange towns” and “strange streets” underscore the fact that she has never left her hometown. She has no idea what exists beyond the scope of her small community, but Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut.
Carrying her little bag of groceries, Miss Strangeworth came out of the store into the bright sunlight and stopped to smile down on the Crane baby. Don and Helen Crane were really the two most infatuated young parents she had ever known, she thought indulgently, looking at the delicately embroidered baby cap and the lace-edged carriage cover.
“That little girl is going to grow up expecting luxury all her life,” she said to Helen Crane.
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After finishing her run to the grocery store, Miss Strangeworth exits to find Helen Crane and her child. This is the introduction of Helen and Don Crane to the story, along with their unnamed child. Don Crane never actually appears in person, but he is integral to the story because he likely destroys Miss Strangeworth’s roses. This passage again places emphasis on the bright sunlight that washes over the town, giving it a false sense of perfection. The Crane baby—who is dressed extravagantly—also adds to the idealistic feel of the town. However, Miss Strangeworth quickly makes it apparent that she Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. El
Miss Strangeworth never concerned herself with facts; her letters all dealt with the more negotiable stuff of suspicion. Mr. Lewis would never have imagined for a minute that his grandson might be lifting petty cash from the store register if he had not had one of Miss Strangeworth’s letters. Miss Chandler, the librarian, and Linda Stewart’s parents would have gone unsuspectingly ahead with their lives, never aware of the possible evil lurking nearby, if Miss Strangeworth had not sent letters to open their eyes.
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This quote comes in the middle of Miss Strangeworth’s letter-writing ritual, and it explains the origin of her letters’ contents. Apparently, Miss Strangeworth does not care about the truthfulness of her letters. Instead, she relies on suspicion and intuition to guide her. If there is a possibility of evil, Miss Strangeworth sees it as her job to vanquish it, even if it means many of her letters will contain false accusations. It is clear Miss Strangeworth believes that her pursuit is noble—that she is opening the eyes of those who receive her letters. The recipients themselves, it is revealed, are Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam
There was so much evil in people. Even in a charming little town like this one, there was still so much evil in people.
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Miss Strangeworth thinks this after overhearing a conversation between Linda Stewart and Dave Harris. Linda and Dave are having a conversation about how Linda’s father does not want Dave around anymore. Linda does not explicitly provide a reason, but claims it is “dirty.” Dave appears confounded and does not know what to make of the situation. Although Miss Strangeworth does not realize it, Dave’s exile from the Stewart home is likely due to one of her previous letters. As such, although Miss Strangeworth is thinking about Dave and Linda, Jackson is ironically using Miss Strangeworth’s thoughts to critique Miss Strangeworth Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum
Miss Strangeworth was a Strangeworth of Pleasant Street. Her hand did not shake as she opened the envelope and unfolded the sheet of green paper inside. She began to cry silently for the wickedness of the world when she read the words: Look out at what used to be your roses.
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These are the final lines of the story, as well as the most famous. They occur after Miss Strangeworth finds a letter that looks suspiciously like the one she sent to Don Crane in her dining room. As she reads it, it becomes clear that her precious roses have been destroyed, likely by Don or Helen Crane. This passage condenses all of the story’s primary themes into just a few sentences. First, there is the reiteration of Miss Strangeworth’s place in the community: she is “a Strangeworth of Pleasant Street.” However disconnected Miss Strangeworth may be from the actual lives Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusant
