Miss Strangeworth In The Possibility Of Evil By Shirley Jackson

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Oscar Wilde said: “Man is least himself in his own person, give him a mask and he will show his true self”. This quote is exemplified in The Possibility of Evil written by Shirley Jackson through the character of Miss Adela Strangeworth. Miss Strangeworth is known in her small town as a polite old lady with lots of wisdom to share. In reality she is imposing judgement on everyone she encounters who she believes is doing wrong. She sends her judgements in the form of letters which she calls “truths”. Her identity is revealed at the end of the story as the person behind the letters. In the story, Miss Strangeworth is able to interact with Helen Crane in a very civil manner and tries to reassure her that it is normal for her baby to be developing
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