The Turn of the Screw
"I must take my horrid plunge" from the opening line sets the tone of the passage. The novel's gothic form is revealed very early on in the passage. There is a distinctive differentiation between horror and terror derived from the studies of Radcliffe. "Terror" is when one induces to action and "horror" is when one is "powerless" and
"freezes" as a result of it. The Governess' horrid plunge is a forced action, as she is powerless to combat the supernatural forces that oppose her. The gothic tone is intensified by strong language and a series of effective individual words, aiming to build up a sense of fear and insecurity for the reader. "Shrouded", "dangerous", "dread" are among other words that are
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Again we are repetitively informed about her shock and dreadful experience. The intensity, however, is slightly dimmed by the effect of its retrospective narration.
References to Fielding's Amelia are very important in this passage as characters and events in The Turn of the Screw relate to those of
Fielding's novel. Amelia, which the governess is reading just before
Quint appears to her on the stairs, contains an "enemy", "adventurer",
"criminal". These words used to describe Quint in the final paragraph, are derived from this book. The plot of this book focuses upon a woman who shows great loyalty to her man, something we see as characteristic of our governess. Amelia also contains stories of young women ruined by attractive men, including Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet's life is somewhat similar to that of the governess'. She too had her own infatuation with a gentleman in Harley Street. Perhaps the book has excited in her an hysterical hallucination?
Following on from her read, James also presents us with the ambiguity of time - time playing an important role in determining the clarity and reliability of events. The governess is reluctant to look at her watch; increasing the vagueness of time. The duration of her meeting with Quint can only be five minutes. When she stops reading the book it is "horribly late", but surely
Interpreting The Turn of the Screw by Henry James from a Marxist point of view brings about serious social class distinctions and consequences of violation within that code. Miles and the unnamed Governess’ relationship demonstrate the wrongdoing of social and legal norms. The Governess’ indeterminate social status leave her as a forbidden woman in Victorian society taking on the role of primary caretaker to children, while Miles embodies the character of the absent master to whom the Governess feels intimately attracted. Mile’s union with rebellious, symbol of threat, Peter Quint, ultimately possesses him and lead to the breakdown of the social hierarchy. The Governess and Mile’s connection display the
In Turn of the Screw the women in the story must follow a specific role. The governess was an important person. Her role as a Victorian female was to symbolize sexual innocence. The governess developed sexual feeling towards Miles a young boy that she is to be watching for the man she thinks is so handsome. Peter Quint and Miss Jessel symbolizes the ¨wickedness¨ that lives within sexual desires. Peter Quint was a very sexual person with all the females.
The Turn of the Screw is one of the most controversial works in literature and the text has provoked a variety of critical interpretations from its publication in 1898. In this novel, the governess tells her experience with two apparitions that no one but she could see. And the governess accuses the ghosts of servants for corrupting the children, Miles and Flora. Critics concerning about the truth of the story are divided two basic camps based on their acceptance or rejection of the governess's credibility as a storyteller. Some critics believe that the ghosts are real and the governess is a rational and credible narrator, while the others believe that the ghosts are hallucinations of the governess and regard the governess as an incredible and mentally abnormal narrator. Also, we could speculate the author’s intention on the basis of his life experience and other works of Henry James. This essay will examine the reliability of the governess on the basis of the text and interpret Henry James’s intention on the basis of other sources.
At first glance, Bly appears to be a rather lonely place. The vividly bleak backdrop for The Turn of the Screw houses a handful of servants, two orphaned children, and ghosts who fade in and out of view. But there are others present who are less obtrusive yet just as influential as Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. Peering into and out of Bly's windows and mirrors, engaging with the text and the lingering trace of author Henry James, a crowd of real and virtual readers hope to catch a glimpse of a specter or to unravel a clever Freudian slipknot that will tell them something: They may be looking for that which they think James intended as the text's truth - a transcendental center - or maybe they subconsciously wish to see a
This reason is made apparent to the reader from the metaphor ‘Turn of the Screw’, which gives the impression that the story will have a deep emotional impact on them like a screw being forced into a wall. Adding a ‘particular touch’ to the story are the two children, who give the ‘effect of two turns’. This shows the reader that the story will have a deeper impact on them than they originally thought, because the depth of the screw is dictated by the amount of turns forced upon it and also represents the impression made on the reader. Consequently, if the screw is turned twice then the story will have twice the impact. Douglas’ ‘wincing grimace’ at the thought of the story supports the reader’s assumption that ‘The Turn of the Screw’ is a horrific ghost story, but nothing more psychological than that.
Jordan McGuire Mrs. Cline AP English March 5th, 2015 The Turn of the Screw Insanity at its Finest The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James, is a ghost story set in victorian England at the estate of Bly. The main character is the governess who accepts a job from a wealthy bachelor to be oversee his niece and nephew at the estate. The governess wandering in the courtyard one night while fantasizing about meeting someone sees a man atop a tower.
Henry James' novel The Turn of the Screw is twofold. In the first chapter, the story begins at a Christmas party where guests hear the governess' tale of fright and fight. This story is referred to as “two turns” of the screw by an anonymous guest at the Christmas party because the reader asks if they want to hear a story about two children instead of only one (3). In the governess' account, it tells about her duty as caretaker of two wealthy children, Flora and Miles, who live at Bly, a large estate, with their unnamed and unseen uncle and Mrs. Groose, the housekeeper. He is never actually seen in the story because he tells the governess not to bother him.
Henry James constructs an epic novel of romance and mystery, engendering many interpretations of Turn of the Screw. James intentionally creates ambiguity by utilizing an incomplete frame to introduce the atmosphere of a ghost story through its diction, setting, and tone, in order to capture an active reader who must interact with the text. Frames hold a distinct purpose to provide insight and background to the coming story, which James succeeds in, but goes one step farther. James introduces the obvious ambiguity in the prologue through its point of view in order to establish a participating reader to make judgements on their own from the very beginning.
Throughout The turn of the Screw by Henry James, the theme of ambiguous issues is constantly leaving the reader on their own. The ambiguity and uncertainty within this text causes the readers to come up with their own theories as to what the text really means. The ghost story perspective only adds to the infuriating vagueness. The title itself is about all of the twists within this story and basically foreshadows the confusion that the text will cause.
The Turn of the Screw is a 19th century psychological horror written by Henry James. It was first published towards the turn of the century, in 1898. I chose to read this novella as I was intrigued by the idea of reading a classic horror story. I was curious as to how it would be different to a horror story from the 21st century which is what I am accustomed to reading.
The title, “The Turn of the Screw”, suggests the dramatic tension of the novel will greatly increase. The title itself foreshadows the evil events
When the credibility of a novel’s narrator has been compromised, the reader questions the reality that is presented to them. In Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw, the story is told through the limited perception of the narrator, a young governess. Left in charge of two young children, she begins to see ghosts of former employees of the estate and seeks to protect the children, while becoming suspicious of their actions as well. Her behavior becomes erratic and the reader is forced to question whether the ghosts are real or if they are fabricated by the governess.
Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw has led to a great deal of discussion and analysis from scholars and students for over fifty years. James’s novella is a ghost story that is mostly told through the perspective of a young woman, a Governess, who is put in charge of taking care of two children, Miles and Flora, at an estate in Bly. The Governess adores the two children and considers them both charming, beautiful, and perfect, which is understandable given that Miles and Flora are portrayed as well mannered, innocent children; and as the Governess becomes more absorbed in her responsibilities, the children give her little to no trouble. One evening, the Governess takes a walk around the estate, and she begins to think, quite romantically, about her employer, the children’s uncle. This is before she sees an estranged man on top of the house’s tower, who stares down at her for a long moment, intensely. The Governess sees this intruder again; this leads her to discuss her sightings with the housekeeper, Mrs. Grose, who tells her that the man she saw is Peter Quint, a former valet for the house who is now dead. Furthermore, while the Governess is out with Flora, watching her play, she feels the appearance of a second intruder, Miss Jessel, who Mrs. Grose says is the Governess’s deceased predecessor. In the context of the whole novella, how the Governess reacts to the ghosts shows three different states of mind that the Governess was possibly in throughout the story. Peter Quint
Henry James’ the Turn of the Screw, written in the Victoria era, tells a ghost story of a governess’s experience with two children in the house. By presenting the story in a symbolic way, the ambiguous narrative of the ghost story suggests an inner conflict of immorality and innocence in the governess. It also seems to imply a loss of insanity and a tragedy as a result of the oppression of desire. This paper will argue that chapter 23 is the most crucial part of the story, because it is the first moment the Governess found the weakness of the ghosts and has a real confrontation with the ghost indirectly through Miles. Miles’ suggestion of going out drives her to the wall, which leads to the tragic end that the only way for governess to
The insanity of the governess constantly shows throughout The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. The governess believes the ghosts she sees control the children’s behavior. Rather than accepting that their misbehavior might just be childish Mischief, she blames the ghosts of Quint and Miss Jessel. She also sees ghosts that do not appear to be seen by Mrs. Grose, Miles, and little Flora. The children, especially Flora, ultimately grow to fear the governess. The governess proves her insanity instead of her heroism through many of her actions and beliefs during The Turn of The