Under good morals, there may be a hidden truth. In “The Possibility of Evil,” Shirley Jackson shows how the protagonist, Miss Strangeworth, presumes to protect her neighborhood by eliminating the evil that exists within her community, but, ironically, she is the most evil neighbor of all. At first, the community views Miss Strangeworth as an older, caring, and respected woman. Over the course of the story, a handful of community members realize that Miss Strangeworth is a bitter and callous woman who is creating more evil in the neighborhood. In other words, Miss Strangeworth's intentions to rid her neighborhood of evil ultimately have the opposite effect and, ironically, create more dilemmas. For starters, at the beginning of the story Miss Strangeworth seems to be well respected by the community and is a caring old woman. First, Miss Strangeworth has a positive effect in her neighborhood, as everyone in the community appreciates her. As Miss Strangeworth walks down the street, “she had to stop every minute or so to say good morning…or to inquire after someone’s health” (Jackson, 1). This shows readers that Miss Strangeworth is an important member of this community who is respected. Additionally, readers see that Miss Strangeworth is making an effort to interact with and check on the well-being of the people of her town. Secondly, Miss Strangeworth is thoughtful and understands the feelings of her neighbors. Miss Strangeworth thinks to herself “Mr. Lewis looked worried… He also looked very tired” (2). Miss Strangeworth is concerned about the well-being of her neighbors. This shows readers how Miss Strangeworth is a caring old woman and how she cares for everyone in the community. Finally, Miss Strangeworth is respected and many younger members of the community are respected with her harsh words. Therefore, Miss Strangeworth's community begins to see how bitter and callous she is and her attempt to release the evil creates more problems for her roses and herself. In "The Possibility of Evil" by Shirley Jackson, it shows how the protagonist, Miss Strangeworth, convinces In the city she is a sweet, caring and respectful woman, even if her intentions to free herself from evil hurt the members of her community. At the beginning of the story, Miss Strangeworth is highly respected by her neighbors who seek her guidance. Throughout the story, the community members realize that she is the cause of evil and chaos in the quiet neighborhood. Miss Strangeworth's intentions to ride the evil in her town ultimately backfire, as, ironically, she is the true cause of the evil in her town. Works Cited "The Possibility of Evil" by Shirley Jackson