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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Miss Strangeworth feel so certain that the children in front of the post office will be respectful toward her?

2. What do the people in town decide is wrong with Linda Stewart after they realize that she has not had a fight with her boyfriend?

3. Why does Miss Strangeworth think that she has a right to eavesdrop on Linda Stewart at the post office?

4. According to the narrator, how do the townspeople feel about Miss Strangeworth and her house and her roses?

5. On what street does Miss Strangeworth live?

Short Essay Questions

1. To whom do the townspeople want to dedicate a statue, and why does Miss Strangeworth say that it should be a statue of her grandfather, instead?

2. What is ironic about Miss Strangeworth's criticisms of Helen and Don Crane's parenting?

3. What evidence is there in the story that Miss Strangeworth is well-known and respected in the town?

4. Who is Linda Stewart, and why has she been so upset?

5. Describe the main character of "The Possibility of Evil."

6. Describe Miss Strangeworth's feelings about her roses.

7. Describe the exterior of Miss Strangeworth's house.

8. What details does Jackson provide about the interior of Miss Strangeworth's house to show the pride the family has always taken in the house?

9. What does the green letter at the end of the story say, and what does it imply?

10. Which writing utensils does Miss Strangeworth have available, and which one does she choose for her anonymous notes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you explain why the events in the story's final few pages--the events that lead to Miss Strangeworth's downfall--are ironic. Use textual evidence to support your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that affirms, refutes, or qualifies the following claim: Miss Strangeworth functions like an omnipotent deity in her small town, introducing the "possibility of evil" and allowing the residents of "her" town to make their own choices about how to respond. Offer textual support from the story to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that explores the symbolic significance of Strangeworth House. Make sure to consider its physical characteristics, its place in town history, and the feelings that it engenders in Miss Strangeworth and others. Support your claims with evidence from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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