ONE ORDINARY WITH PEANUTS

One ordinary with peanuts by SHIRLEY JACKSON

History & Setting
Shirley Jackson was born to a wealthy San Francisco. From an early age, she rebelled against what she considered her family's selfish lifestyle. Instead of taking part in social events ,she would disappear into her journals. Here, she would strike out against the snobbish attitude she witnessed among the wealthy. For much of her life, Jackson suffered from stress and anxiety. In her later years, her physical and metal health declined. Jackson was only 45 years old when she died. In 1961 Jackson was honored with the Edgar Allan Poe award for her short story "One ordinary with peanuts" The setting of this story is The setting of the story is on the streets of New York City during 1950, where the main character, Mr. Johnson, takes a stroll. 

Character
Mr John Philip Johnson; He shared the peanuts to the people walked across him, to balance nice and generous in that day. Mrs Jonson; She accused the people and sent three dogs to the pound. They two are just complete their job, they are not nice or evil.

Plot

John Philip Johnson comes down the steps from his house on a bright morning. His shoes have just been resoled, and his feet feel good. He smiles at everyone and greets the other customers at the newsstand where he stops to buy his newspaper. He has filled his pockets with candy and peanuts and, before he sets out for his walk uptown, he goes into a flower shop and buys a carnation for his buttonhole, but he immediately gives it to a child in a carriage. Mr. Johnson seldom follows the same route twice. On this fine day, he walks several blocks uptown, then cuts across a side street. Halfway along it, a van is parked. A woman and her child are moving out of their apartment. The woman looks bedraggled, and Mr. Johnson offers to watch her child while she attends to the moving. He and the child get along well, sharing the peanuts in Mr. Johnson’s pocket. Mr. Johnson learns that the two are moving to Greenwich, Vermont, and he gives them the name of a friend who lives there, telling the woman that the man will help her in any way he can when she arrives in Greenwich. She is grateful. Continuing his walk, he meets a young woman, Mildred Kent. He talks with her and, when he realizes that he is making her late for work, insists on compensating her for her lost time. As she waits, he walks out onto the sidewalk and engages in conversation with a young man, Arthur Adams. He then introduces the two and gives them enough money to cover their day’s wages. He encourages them to spend the day together doing something they want to do, such as going to Coney Island. He gives them money to cover their expenses.

Theme

There is no true conflict in the story, no person vs. person or person vs. nature or the like. You could possibly find person vs. society in this story, but only when you've reflected on the way it ends.

Moral

This story tells us in the city, there are all types of people. Mr and Mrs.Johnson balance each other out, good and evil, to keep the city neatral.

Evaluation

Within this story, the author used characterization method to create a character's personality. Author also used a contrast between what is said and what us meant, called Verbal Irony. In the other hand, James Thurber used when the audience or reader knows something a character does not, called Dramatic Irony.