“The Possibility of Evil”

Literary Elements

Characterization

Characterization = the way a writer develops a character’s personality and traits.

Writers use four methods in developing characters:- Description of physical appearance

- What the character says/does

- What other characters say about that character

- Narrator directly tells you about the character.• “Miss Strangeworth hated sloppiness” (Jackson 176).

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.

People in town act strange, Mrs. Strangeworth drops a letter

Setting/Mood

Setting: where/when the story takes placeSmall town – “Pleasant Street” Mood: the atmosphere/emotions a story evokesOften, 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. Mood of this story?