The Possibility of EvilBy Shirley Jackson

QuickwriteHave you ever wanted to tell someone

something unpleasant in order to help them?

(Ex: Your boyfriend/girlfriend is cheating on you)

Did you tell them? How did you tell them?

Do you think in situations like this it is right to tell them?

Character MotivationWhy a character acts as they do

Ex: Mary ran to the kitchen, grabbing the fire extinguisher from the hall. Smoke poured from the doorway.

What was Mary’s motivation for running to he kitchen with the fire extinguisher?

Character MotivationReaders can discover motivation by

thinking about:The character’s words, thoughts, actionsHow other characters react to him/her

In this story, Miss Strangeworth believes she is motivated by moral principles. We will read to discover if this is her only motivation.

Vocabulary

1. Degraded: adj. corrupted, depraved

2. Infatuated: adj. intensely fond

3. Negotiable: adj. able to be bargained with

4. Rapt: adj. fully absorbed; entranced

5. Reprehensible: adj. deserving blame and criticism

6. Translucent: adj. allowing light to shine through