Critical Response to the Turn of the Screw Essay -- Henry James

Henry James novella the Turn of the be intimate is a highly ambiguous piece of fiction. Set in Edwardian England, a very nave woman is left in rush of two young children. The beautiful Bly however appears to be hiding a few dark secrets. The appearance of two ghosts plays on the governess mind, she comes to the conclusion the children are in danger and being possessed by these two horrors. end-to-end the novella James successfully creates a mystical atmosphere, his ambiguous flair forces us to think twice about what is written and decide for ourselves whether or not this is purely a ghost story or something cold more sinister. However after several reads and a close nip behind the rowing, it becomes clear that the ghosts that haunt the house of Bly are nothing more than hallucinations and may be the result of a serious case of intimate repression in the governess.The governess is a hopeless romantic, that becomes clear at the very beginning. The young lady of a poor parishi oner, the governess has had a very sheltered life, making her into sort of a nave woman, but no doubt very curious. The governess had nevertheless once had a position involving children before she accepted the position at Bly. She was quite nervous and unsure in regards to her own abilities. Yet she took the job. wherefore? She believed the employer to be the most handsome of men, with a most kind and bighearted nature. This opinion was formed over one very short meeting. As the governess arrives at Bly she mentions I had expected something quite dull and dreary, so this move was a wonderful surprise. I wondered why he (employer) had failed to mention it. The governess is in like manner quick to tell the housekeeper Mrs Grose I am carried away quite easily. I was carried away in Londo... ...ce was close and he let me kiss it and her description of Miles saying oh you know what a boy wants are all unnecessary. The mend of the ghosts corrupting the children is what the govern ess tales is supposed to be about, just a ghost story. So adding in constant little sentences like these makes us question whether this is unfeignedly a ghost story at all, or something more vindictive. The equivocalness of this novella shows that the ghosts cannot possibly be real and are a unadulterated figure of the governess imagination. Her romantic, whimsical state of mind, strange and elaborate use of words and clearly shown indecency with Miles gives sufficient evidence to say she was suffering a severe case of sexual repression, brought on by her sheltered childishness and lonely position in society. However these circumstances are no excuse for the damage she caused those poor children.