The Turn of the Screw - 1300 Words

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 â€Å"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. As the story first unfolds, the governess takes care of two children, Miles and†¦show more content†¦Consequently, she tries to protect Miles from a ghost that he cannot see by taking them away from this goddamn place. However, her attempt backfires when after Miles not claiming to have seen a ghost, and â€Å"h is little heart, dispossessed, had stopped† (120). The governess is overbearing. She believes first hand that the children see the ghosts, too. For example, when Flora finally admits to her that she does not see any ghosts, she believes that she is helping protect them from her. The governess causes the children to become hysterical, and as the governess continues to see spirits she also becomes hysterical. She even starts to believe that on some nights the children creep out of their beds to visit the ghosts. Due to the governess’ tyrannical nature, the children become greatly annoyed by the governess. In result, Miles asks to be sent to another school, and Flora insists on being sent away to escape the insistence of the governess’ refusal that the ghosts are not real. The governess is the center of the story because she causes all the conflicts in the story. As the story first unfolds, Flora is a bright, well-adjusted girl who is in the top of her class. In the end, she wants nothing more than to escape the confines of the estate and be away from the governess’ rants. At the beginning, Miles is shy but mostly normal ten-year-old. As the story advances, he lives in fear of the governess and thinks that the house has become a madhouse. Not even aShow MoreRelatedThe Turn Of The Screw1265 Words   |  6 PagesHenry James’ The Turn of the Screw has been described as one of the best ghost stories of all time. However, there is clear evidence that the main character, the governess, suffers from delusions. The strange events that occur throughout the story happen in the estate of Bly. The anomalies, described as horrors or ghosts, only come to light after the governess arrives. These events are due to creations of the governess mind, her controlling intent to protect and overrule the children, and her unstableRead MoreThe Turn Of The Screw1443 Words   |  6 PagesHenry James’ The Turn of the Screw is an ambivalent novella , well-known for it’s disputable contents. The central character, known simply as the governess, is one that can be considered an unreliable narrator. She has experienced many interesting yet unusual encounters that can lead to a variety of interpretations regarding what’s actually taking place in the story. With all factors taken into account, it’s most plausible to assume that the governess is a victim of what appears to be a mental disorderRead MoreThe Turn Of The Screw2222 Words   |  9 PagesHenry 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 giv en that Miles and Flora are portrayed as wellRead More The Turn of the Screw Essays1329 Words   |  6 PagesLove Between the Classes: An Analysis of Social Status Violation in The Turn of the Screw A Marxist reading of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James brings to light how social status differences and above all how the violation of these distinctions affect the story. The relationship between the governess and Miles is a clear example of this kind of transgression. As an unnamed character, the governess has an indefinite social status. She is neither an upper-class lady nor a simple servant. MoreoverRead More Turn of the screw Essay2734 Words   |  11 Pages â€Å"The Turn of the Screw† Henry James, the famous author of ‘The Turn of the Screw’ was born on April 15, 1843 to his wealthy parents Henry James and Mary Walsh. His father, also called Henry James, was an Irish immigrant and by the time his own children were born he had inherited a lot of money from his father; and at this time Henry James senior and his family were living in New York. Henry James author of ‘The Turn Of The Screw’ was one of five children and had an older brother William who wasRead More The Turn of the Screw Essay1076 Words   |  5 PagesThe Turn of the Screw I must take my horrid plunge from the opening line sets the tone of the passage. The novels 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 forcesRead MoreEnn315-Turn of the Screw2040 Words   |  9 Pages‘The Turn of the Screw is essentially an ambivalent text. Its narrative prompts divergent, even opposite readings, but does not reconcile them. What happens remains irrevocably uncertain’ James uses the prologue to the novel to introduce the themes with in this Novella but more importantly he encourages the readers to be active in reading between the lines , and not to accept what is said at face value , James achieves this by surrounding Douglass with a group of people who are clearly andRead MoreEnn315-Turn of the Screw2028 Words   |  9 Pages‘The Turn of the Screw is essentially an ambivalent text. Its narrative prompts divergent, even opposite readings, but does not reconcile them. What happens remains irrevocably uncertain’ James uses the prologue to the novel to introduce the themes with in this Novella but more importantly he encourages the readers to be active in reading between the lines , and not to accept what is said at face value , James achieves this by surrounding Douglass with a group of people who are clearly and intentlyRead MoreThe Governess in The Turn of the Screw Essay1110 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the most critically discussed works in twentieth-century American literature, The Turn of the Screw has inspired a variety of critical interpretations since its publication in 1898. Until 1934, the book was considered a traditional ghost story. Edmund Wilson, however, soon challenged that view with his assertions that The Turn of the Screw is a psychological study of the unstable governess whose visions of ghosts are merely delusions. Wilson’s essay initiated a critical debate concerning theRead MoreTurn of the Screw, Historicism Approach1330 Words   |  6 Pageswork, and how do t hese influences complicate the meaning of the work as a whole ? - Regarding The Turn of The Screw. The Victorian era consisted of moralistic, prudish ideals, a sexist point of view and therefore enforced etiquette and good manners as a way of life. Henry James demonstrates a lack of propriety for this time period’s strict code of conduct, with his written work, ‘The turn of the screw’. By doing so, and somewhat rebelling against the sexually restraining, low crime tolerance era that