Enn315-Turn of the Screw
‘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 intently open about reading into the manuscripts further , they are critical and sceptical, James also encourages the readers to search for sexual insinuations as Mrs Griffin does about the sexual history between Douglas and the governess in the manuscript. The ‘set up’ that James creates in the prologue is evidence in itself that the novella creates an essentially ambivalent fell. This conflict of feelings makes us feel that nothing is certain,
James doesn’t allow us to trust anyone in the novella which is in essence the main reason behind the feelings of uncertainty and the simultaneous conflicting feelings towards the novella and its characters. The first example of this is the mistrust of our guide through the novella, the governess. In the very opening lines of the first chapter we become aware of the shift in the polarities of her attitude and tone. We see her irrationality and deem her over emotional and sensitive, this paints her as untrustworthy. What she perceives is painted by her emotions, and as she is over emotional, we other see and rapidly over exaggerated response to situations and it displays the passion that she views situations in the story, this leads to us being overly critical and cynical of her narration. When she first encounters Flora, her youngest charge, she romanticises using words like ‘beatific’. She is comforted by Floras beauty and charm, this creates a perfect child, and one senses a sort of unrealism. The volatility and uncertainty the
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 intently open about reading into the manuscripts further , they are critical and sceptical, James also encourages the readers to search for sexual insinuations as Mrs Griffin does about the sexual history between Douglas and the governess in the manuscript. The ‘set up’ that James creates in the prologue is evidence in itself that the novella creates an essentially ambivalent fell. This conflict of feelings makes us feel that nothing is certain,
James doesn’t allow us to trust anyone in the novella which is in essence the main reason behind the feelings of uncertainty and the simultaneous conflicting feelings towards the novella and its characters. The first example of this is the mistrust of our guide through the novella, the governess. In the very opening lines of the first chapter we become aware of the shift in the polarities of her attitude and tone. We see her irrationality and deem her over emotional and sensitive, this paints her as untrustworthy. What she perceives is painted by her emotions, and as she is over emotional, we other see and rapidly over exaggerated response to situations and it displays the passion that she views situations in the story, this leads to us being overly critical and cynical of her narration. When she first encounters Flora, her youngest charge, she romanticises using words like ‘beatific’. She is comforted by Floras beauty and charm, this creates a perfect child, and one senses a sort of unrealism. The volatility and uncertainty the
Bibliography: Byrne , D . 2005 . English studies , testing the limits of literacy sign Modern and contemory literature , Univerity of South Africa James, H. The Turn of the Screw. Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism. Edited by Peter G. Beidler. 2nd edition. Bedford Books of St Martin’s Press: Boston and New York, 2004 ----------------------- ENN 315 – R Assignment 01 Semester 02 Assignment option 01 Turn of the Screw by Henry James