“The Possibility of Evil”
Literary Elements
Characterization
Two types:– Indirect: You learn about the character by making
inferences and/or judgments• What the character says/does• What other characters say about that character• “Miss Strangeworth always used a dull pencil when she wrote
her letters; and she printed them in a childish block print” (Jackson 177).
– Direct: the narrator directly tells you about the character.
• “Miss Strangeworth hated sloppiness” (Jackson 176).
Irony
In general, Irony is a form of contrasts3 types:– Dramatic: You know something that the characters do
not– Situational: Something unexpected happens– Verbal: What is said is different than what is meant.
Ex: Strangeworth’s “payback”- situational irony
Foreshadowing
The author gives little clues about what is going to happen in the story.
Often, when you re-read a story, the foreshadowing is more apparent.
Setting/Mood
Setting: when/when the story takes placeMood: the atmosphere/emotions a story evokes
Often, the setting can affect the mood, such as when a scary movie is set at night and in the rain, or a love story is set in spring.
Symbol
Symbol: A person, place, activity, or object that stands for something beyond itself.
As you read, think about what the roses may stand for.