The Possibility of Evil

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay. 

Scaffolded/Short-Answer Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the play over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Miss Strangeworth’s roses are frequently mentioned in this story: tourists remark on them, she has them arranged throughout her house, and she never gives them away.

• What do Miss Strangeworth’s roses mean to her? (topic sentence)
• Why is their destruction so devastating to her?
• Conclude with a sentence that identifies the significance of the symbol of Miss Strangeworth’s roses.

2. Part of Miss Strangeworth’s regular routine involves writing anonymous, cruel letters to her neighbors. What do her habits reveal about her character?

• How is Miss Strangeworth’s letter-writing habit a departure from her normal behavior? (topic sentence)
• How is it a continuation of her normal behavior?
• Conclude with a sentence that answers the following question: What does this imply about Miss Strangeworth’s characterization?

3. Miss Strangeworth believes herself to be revered by everyone around her, as a wealthy woman and a link to the town’s past. What are some clues that this might not be the case?

• Do the townspeople revere Miss Strangeworth?(topic sentence)
• What are some textual clues that provide evidence to your answer?
• How does Miss Strangeworth’s self-perception compare to the townspeople’s perceptions of her?

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. What are Miss Strangeworth’s alleged motivations in writing her anonymous letters, the motivations that she acknowledges to herself? What are her deeper, unacknowledged motivations? How does the push-and-pull between her conscious motivations and her subconscious motivations contribute to the author’s development of theme?

2. Toward the story’s end, the focus shifts briefly from Miss Strangeworth to two minor characters, Linda Stewart and Dave Harris. What is the purpose of this sudden shift, and how does it serve the story’s theme and plot?

3. The story emphasizes Miss Strangeworth’s domestic routine: her gardening, the tea that she orders on Tuesdays, what she has for lunch and for dinner. What mood does this create in the story, and what picture does it paint of Miss Strangeworth’s life and character? Furthermore, how does this picture parallel or juxtapose the way the townspeople greet her in the town? Write an essay in which you analyze the author’s use of structure and characterization to express theme.