Introduction

General introductory statement:

The two short stories “The Possibility of Evil” and

“Lamb to The Slaughter” have focused on a couple
of apparently rudimentary issues in the world, but in
fact, they coerce the readers to ponder about the
deep meanings rather than the superficiality.

Intro texts, authors, preview of arguments:

Sherley Jackson and Roald Dahl depicted the reality

in two different societies and emphasized on an
awareness that the most unlikely individuals might
be criminal. They attempted to demonstrate that
what people observe in the world might not be
what actually is.

Thesis statement:

The ever-present disripancy between the

appearance vs. reality is delineated in the ironic
settings, characterization, and the unhappy endings

Body Paragraph 1:
Ironic Expositions

Topic sentence:

The appearance indicates that the reader should

expect a happy ending for each story; however, as
the text progresses, the mature readers will notice
the reality or actual incidents.
Proof 1 (story 1):
The readers’ expectations shatter abruptly. In
the exposition of story 1, readers read the
positive words like “the sun was shining,” and
“fragrant summer days”. Therefore, they expect
a brilliant love story or romance instead of a tale
about destruction.
Direct quotation:

Everything in Miss Strangeworth’s little town looked

washed and bright.
Analysis/Explanation of quotation:

The brighness and the cleansiness in all over the

town proves the atmosphere void of problems. The
author’s emphasis on Miss Strangeworth’s little
town shows she is the dominant figure in the town.
Consequently, readers expect that charater to be
positive as a protagonist. While at the end the exact
contradiction happens.
Proof 2 (story 1):

The story expands and the reader intensifies his

positive expectation as the writes links Miss
Strangewoth to positivity in almost all the
paragraphs.
Analysis/Explanation of proof 2:

Such elaboration on a single character in the story

will work as a lense, so that the reader mainly
zooms on that character to be able to trace her
behaviours and activities. Even the most mature
readers may not expect a sudden shift in
characterization near the end of the story.
Proof 1 (story 2):

Similar to the first story, in “Lamb to The Slaughter,”

the readers encounter a series of words that indicate
love, friendship, and a positive relationship between
the couple.
Direct quotation:
“ … she was curiously peaceful. This was her sixth month
expecting a child.”

Analysis/Explanation of quotation:
Them expecting a child represents how tin love they
were, which augments the plausibility in their love.

Proof 2 (story 2):

"Hello, darling," she said.

Analysis/Explanation of proof 2:

The way that Mary was talking to her husband is the

indication of respect and love, which is only
apparent.
Concluding statement + lead-in to next paragraph:

Comparatively, the two stories shatter the readers

expectations by inviting them to positivity and
optimism; however, both stories ironically alter.

Body Paragraph 2
Characterization

Topic sentence:
 Even characters can be ironic, i.e. they can
shatter the expectations of the readers.
Proof 1 (story 1):

Miss. Strangeworth is strangely and ironically

single as her title (Miss) shows. She has never
been married and subsequently has no family.
Like her name, she is worthy, but in a strange
way.
Direct quotation:

“She sometimes found herself thinking that the town

belonged to her.”

Analysis/Explanation of quotation:

Oddly, people admired her in a respectful way and

made her, and even the readers, believe that she
was literally the owner of that town. In reality, this is
not the case as the story progresses.
Proof 2 (story 1):

“That little girl is going to grow up expecting luxury all

her life.”
Analysis/Explanation of proof 2

What she said to Helen seems to be a

complimentary statement to the entire family;
however, as the story progresses the reader
realizeds the true character of the old lady and
interprets the compliment as an insult. The words
that follow the seemingly complimentary staement
are “dryly” and “her highness” which show that Miss
Strangeworth indirectly insults the family. Hence, the
apparently respectful character is not evidently so.
Proof 1 (story 2)

Pregnant lady should not be a murder.

Direct quotation:

“She swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and
brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his
head.”

Analysis/Explanation of quotation:

The murder is not accidental. She judged instantly;

she had a quick verdict; she swiftly executes her
verdict. The whole process occurred in a few
seconds that is the proof to a sudden and
unexpected character alteration from a lovely wife to
an atrocious murderer.
Proof 2 (story 2):

When the police came, she austantatiously wept and

they never suspected that the murderer might have
been the wife.
Analysis/Explanation of proof 2

This skillful switch from delight of a murder to grief is

so unexpected for the readers. It is so unique to see
these quick alterations in one character.

Concluding statement + lead-in to next paragraph:

As in “the Possibility of Evil,” the author of “Lamb to

The Slaughter” develops a highly intricate and
unpredictable character to make his story a
masterpiece.

Body Paragraph 3
Topic sentence:

Unhappy Endings
 The function of unhappy endings is that there is
a cathartic sensation as we the readers finish
the story. That is psychologically due to the fact
that the miserable event has not happened to
the reader. While happy endings are also
enjoyable as they act like unhappy ending plus
time for further thought.
Proof 1 (story 1):

The green envelope, Miss Strangewoth found in her

house, near the end of the story, should actually
represent peace, tranquility, and relaxation.
However, it turns to covey a shocking and horrible
massage to the lady as well the readers.

Direct quotation:

“A green envelope that looked oddly familiar … “

.
Analysis/Explanation of quotation:

The significance of the green envelop at the end of

the story is that the appearance can be deceptive.
The green becomes the color of horror .
Proof 2 (story 1):
She began to cry silently for the wickedness of the world
when she red the words: Look out at what used to be your
roses.
Analysis/Explanation of proof 2:

The character reaches a deneument and epipheny

as she reads the words and she judges the world as
a “wicked” place. Prior to this moment, she regarded
herself as the queen of the town, yet the entire
assumption was unreal.
Proof 1 (story 2):

The weapon was eaten by the police and soon

become an inseparable part of every single cell in
their bodies. One should be a master mind to put
evidence right into the cellular structure of the police
officers and still seem to be innocent.

Direct quotation:

It's probably right under our noses.

Analysis/Explanation of quotation:

Literal meaning: ….
Figurative meaning
Proof 2 (story 2):
 Mary’s happy laughter is not happy for the
reader.
Analysis/Explanation of proof 2:
It is an indication of her wickedness. It shows
how wicked the world could be.
Concluding statement:

The unhappy endings in both short stories help the

readers reach the shocking epipheny and realize
that almost all they thought about the two famale
characters were wrong.

Concluding paragraph
Restate thesis (different wording):

Consequently, the appearance vs. reality is

depicted in the ironic settings, characterization,
and the unhappy endings in both stories.

Final thought/insight:

The mentioned discripancies in the stories, as well

as in the real world, warn the readers to be more
alert and vigilent about the reality around them. The
achieved supervigilence will empower them to wisely
encounter the wickness, miseries, satanic
characters, and any other abnormalities in their daily
life.