the turn of a Screw by henry james
b. The narrator of the book The Turn of the Screw by Henry James describes a past Christmas Eve gathering at an old house. Guests at this gathering would share their ghost stories to one another. Douglas, a guest that attended the Christmas Eve dinner, told his ghost story that involved two children- Flora and Miles- and his sister’s governess, with whom he was in love with. The governess was hired to watch over his niece and nephew. The governess begins her journey at Bly, the country home, where she meets Flora and a maid named Mrs. Grose. The following day the governess receives a letter establishing that Miles can no longer return to school, but the letter did not specify why.
Confused, the governess asked Mrs. Grose if he has caused any trouble before, and she states that he has only caused the trouble that any normal boy would do. The governess then left to pick up Miles. Throughout her experience there, she strolls around the grounds frequently, and suddenly, one night, she sees an odd man in a tower of the home staring at her. They exchange an intense stare and move along. She encounters the man again staring into the
dining-room window. After this incident, she informs Mrs. Grose about the strange figure. She identifies him as Peter Quint, a former valet that as passed away. A few days later, the governess spots another figure while she was at the lake with Flora. The governess assumes that this is the previous governess that passed away, Miss Jessel. Thinking to herself, she concludes that Peter Quint is pursuing Miles and that Miss Jessel is pursuing Flora, the governess is on-guard and has amped up her protection and supervision. Miles’ strange behavior would progressively get worse. Some nights the governess’s candle would blow out because of a random gust of wind inside and then she would find Flora out of her bed staring out the window. The governess looked out the window one night at the same direction Flora was looking at and would notice Miles outside in the lawn just standing there motionless. This happened every once-in-awhile throughout the rest of the governess’s stay. The governess would write letters to the Uncle but they would never were sent. With Flora and Mrs. Grose gone, she thinks Miles was stealing them, and sure enough he admits to his thefts. Following his confession, the governess spots Peter Quint outside the window of the dining-room. She watches Quint in horror, and then points him out to Miles. Miles replies asking if it was Peter Quint. He walks to the window, cries out, and then falls into the governess’s arms. Dead.
· "Spark Notes." . Spark Notes. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/screw/summary.html.
c.
· The Governess: The governess adores Flora and Miles when she first meets them, but then becomes suspicious of their actions and every word that slips through their lips. She is convinced that they hope to deceive her quickly. The children end up mesmerizing her into believing that they are pure and innocent. At these points and times, the governess is more affectionate to them and treats them as if she is the mother figure as opposed to being their teacher. Mrs. Grose was certain that the governess was losing her mind and humanity because of the visions she sees and the fear she feels. In the letters she writes, she states that the behavioral actions she did were because she was “in love” with her employer. It was never state whether this was true or not. Henry James provides only the governess’s side of the story, which may be inaccurate in whole or in part. Regardless, the governess’s account was
the full account that we never learn.
· Mrs. Grose: Mrs. Grose was illiterate and uneducated. She provides the governess with open ears and
loyal support. Mrs. Grose plays the role of the servant at the Bly country home. The servant knows more than what the governess even believes she knows. Mrs. Grose is underestimated throughout the book because she is illiterate and is a maid/servant. Mrs. Grose is willing to hear the governess out but doesn’t agree with her logic or conclusion.
· Miles: Miles alters from either a cunning, witty, and deceitful plaything of ghosts or merely an innocent, young, unusually well-mannered boy. The governess never portrays the boy’s true character. The ghost Peter Quint is a bad influence on Miles. Miles continues to do bad things because Peter is his accomplice. Miles has to prove he is a bad
kid to the governess and the maid because the ghost wants him to be.
· Flora: Consistent with Miles, Flora is either angelic or diabolical. In the beginning she appears to be a perfect, colorful, little girl but throughout the book she becomes more demonic.
· "Spark Notes." . Spark Notes. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
< http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/screw/canalysis.html>.
d. The setting is in a rural area in a country home in Bly.
· "Spark Notes." . Spark Notes. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/screw/section1.rhtml.
e. Man vs. Man: Man vs. Man is exhibited throughout this book by Henry James. The conflicts reside within the main characters, Flora, Miles, the governess, and Mrs. Grose, and the two ghosts, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel.
· SparkNotes Editors.“SparkNote on The Turn of the Screw.”
SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2004. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.
f.
· Untold Truths: The characters throughout the book make indirect hints and/or are very vague with what they talk about. For example, the head master expels Miles but refuses to state why. This isn’t the only one. There is much, much more.
· Dehumanization: The ghosts brainwashed the children. This caused the kids to not act themselves and portray their real characters.
· Death: The governess rarely indicates the she is afraid of the ghosts and is frightened that the ghost will physically hard the children or even kill them. In the end, Miles just drops dead and the previous governess mysteriously died as well.
· SparkNotes Editors.“SparkNote on The Turn of the Screw.”
SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2004. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.
g.
· Letters: The letters reveal the truth about what has happened at the country home. The events become more surreal when they have been written down.
· Light: When the governess has the wick lit on the candle, it creates light. The light symbolizes safety and security, but once the light is blown out by the ghost, it is no longer safe.
· Death: Both of the ghosts had lived here and died here. Miles just dropped dead one night after seeing Peter Quint
outside the window. Death symbolizes the end.
· SparkNotes Editors.“SparkNote on The Turn of the Screw.”
SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2004. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.
h. (below i)
- Picture: "Wikipedia." . Wikipedia. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turn_of_the_Screw>.
-
Video: "Youtube." . Youtube. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb8_SnrZWzk>.
i. Citiations are after each individual
section.
Confused, the governess asked Mrs. Grose if he has caused any trouble before, and she states that he has only caused the trouble that any normal boy would do. The governess then left to pick up Miles. Throughout her experience there, she strolls around the grounds frequently, and suddenly, one night, she sees an odd man in a tower of the home staring at her. They exchange an intense stare and move along. She encounters the man again staring into the
dining-room window. After this incident, she informs Mrs. Grose about the strange figure. She identifies him as Peter Quint, a former valet that as passed away. A few days later, the governess spots another figure while she was at the lake with Flora. The governess assumes that this is the previous governess that passed away, Miss Jessel. Thinking to herself, she concludes that Peter Quint is pursuing Miles and that Miss Jessel is pursuing Flora, the governess is on-guard and has amped up her protection and supervision. Miles’ strange behavior would progressively get worse. Some nights the governess’s candle would blow out because of a random gust of wind inside and then she would find Flora out of her bed staring out the window. The governess looked out the window one night at the same direction Flora was looking at and would notice Miles outside in the lawn just standing there motionless. This happened every once-in-awhile throughout the rest of the governess’s stay. The governess would write letters to the Uncle but they would never were sent. With Flora and Mrs. Grose gone, she thinks Miles was stealing them, and sure enough he admits to his thefts. Following his confession, the governess spots Peter Quint outside the window of the dining-room. She watches Quint in horror, and then points him out to Miles. Miles replies asking if it was Peter Quint. He walks to the window, cries out, and then falls into the governess’s arms. Dead.
· "Spark Notes." . Spark Notes. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/screw/summary.html.
c.
· The Governess: The governess adores Flora and Miles when she first meets them, but then becomes suspicious of their actions and every word that slips through their lips. She is convinced that they hope to deceive her quickly. The children end up mesmerizing her into believing that they are pure and innocent. At these points and times, the governess is more affectionate to them and treats them as if she is the mother figure as opposed to being their teacher. Mrs. Grose was certain that the governess was losing her mind and humanity because of the visions she sees and the fear she feels. In the letters she writes, she states that the behavioral actions she did were because she was “in love” with her employer. It was never state whether this was true or not. Henry James provides only the governess’s side of the story, which may be inaccurate in whole or in part. Regardless, the governess’s account was
the full account that we never learn.
· Mrs. Grose: Mrs. Grose was illiterate and uneducated. She provides the governess with open ears and
loyal support. Mrs. Grose plays the role of the servant at the Bly country home. The servant knows more than what the governess even believes she knows. Mrs. Grose is underestimated throughout the book because she is illiterate and is a maid/servant. Mrs. Grose is willing to hear the governess out but doesn’t agree with her logic or conclusion.
· Miles: Miles alters from either a cunning, witty, and deceitful plaything of ghosts or merely an innocent, young, unusually well-mannered boy. The governess never portrays the boy’s true character. The ghost Peter Quint is a bad influence on Miles. Miles continues to do bad things because Peter is his accomplice. Miles has to prove he is a bad
kid to the governess and the maid because the ghost wants him to be.
· Flora: Consistent with Miles, Flora is either angelic or diabolical. In the beginning she appears to be a perfect, colorful, little girl but throughout the book she becomes more demonic.
· "Spark Notes." . Spark Notes. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
< http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/screw/canalysis.html>.
d. The setting is in a rural area in a country home in Bly.
· "Spark Notes." . Spark Notes. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/screw/section1.rhtml.
e. Man vs. Man: Man vs. Man is exhibited throughout this book by Henry James. The conflicts reside within the main characters, Flora, Miles, the governess, and Mrs. Grose, and the two ghosts, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel.
· SparkNotes Editors.“SparkNote on The Turn of the Screw.”
SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2004. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.
f.
· Untold Truths: The characters throughout the book make indirect hints and/or are very vague with what they talk about. For example, the head master expels Miles but refuses to state why. This isn’t the only one. There is much, much more.
· Dehumanization: The ghosts brainwashed the children. This caused the kids to not act themselves and portray their real characters.
· Death: The governess rarely indicates the she is afraid of the ghosts and is frightened that the ghost will physically hard the children or even kill them. In the end, Miles just drops dead and the previous governess mysteriously died as well.
· SparkNotes Editors.“SparkNote on The Turn of the Screw.”
SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2004. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.
g.
· Letters: The letters reveal the truth about what has happened at the country home. The events become more surreal when they have been written down.
· Light: When the governess has the wick lit on the candle, it creates light. The light symbolizes safety and security, but once the light is blown out by the ghost, it is no longer safe.
· Death: Both of the ghosts had lived here and died here. Miles just dropped dead one night after seeing Peter Quint
outside the window. Death symbolizes the end.
· SparkNotes Editors.“SparkNote on The Turn of the Screw.”
SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2004. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.
h. (below i)
- Picture: "Wikipedia." . Wikipedia. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turn_of_the_Screw>.
-
Video: "Youtube." . Youtube. Web. 1 Apr 2013.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb8_SnrZWzk>.
i. Citiations are after each individual
section.