In “The Possibility of Evil,” roses symbolize the evil that can hide within even the most beautiful and unassuming of objects. Roses, while pretty and fragrant, are covered in thorns that aren’t obvious at first, but can hurt those who unexpectedly touch them. Similarly, the unnamed town where “The Possibility of Evil” takes place looks beautiful, but it hides dark secrets. Roses are first mentioned in the story’s opening paragraphs, as Miss Strangeworth worries about people taking away her prized roses, which her grandmother planted in the town’s early years. Miss Strangeworth feels fiercely protective of these unique heirloom roses—much as she believes the town needs her to guard and protect it from corrupting evil. Miss Strangeworth treasures the roses and covers her entire house with them, including the sitting room where she writes her vitriolic letters. Here the roses’ presence symbolizes the apparent innocence of Miss Strangeworth’s letter-writing—but just as a beautiful rose has thorns when one looks closer, the neighborly letter-writing turns out to be a hateful act of harassment.
The final mention of roses in the story comes from a letter, presumably written by either Don or Helen Crane, which reads: “Look out at what used to be your roses.” The message implies that Miss Strangeworth’s roses have been destroyed because the Cranes found out that she had sent them one of her letters. Upon realizing what’s happened, Miss Strangeworth immediately begins crying and bemoans the presence of evil in the world. For her, the destruction of the roses is proof of the evil that she believes has taken over the town. However, in the larger context of the story, the destruction of the roses symbolizes the dismantling of the town’s false image of itself. Though on the surface of the community, things may seem lovely and calm, evil still lurks within, no matter how many roses are used to try to cover it up.
