Essay On The Governess In The Turn Of The Screw
In The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, there are many disputes over the question of the governess’s sanity. While some claim that the apparitions she sees are real, deeming her sane, others believe that they are materializations of her own imagination. The governess is sane because of her ability to think rationally, the apparitions’ resemblance to previous Bly workers, and Miles’s acknowledgment of Peter Quint. The governess is sane because she is able to think rationally before acting upon her actions. After the governess first sees Peter Quint on top of the tower, she decides that she is there to “protect and defend the little creatures in the world” (James 27). The role of the governess in the Bly household is caretaker of the children, meaning her job is to protect them. This role as a protector becomes her main priority, proving her sanity and
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rationality by displaying that she is able to stay focused on her job despite having seen and heard strange things. Later in the novel, while the governess is playing with Flora by the lake, she sees Miss Jessel’s spirit. She then “[holds her] breath while [she waits] for what a cry from [Flora]...would tell [her]” (James 29). Instead of immediately panicking, the governess remains calm so that she does not startle Flora. This scene illustrates the governess’s ability to think logically by confirming that she has the capability to assess the given situation before reacting. Thus, she is considered sane because she contains both rationality and reason. Another factor that proves the governess sane is the fact that the apparitions’ features match with those of previous Bly household workers.
The governess describes the first apparition she sees as as having “red hair, very red, close-curling, and a pale face...and little, rather queer whiskers that are as red as his hair” (James 23). After the governess tells Mrs. Grose about the apparition, she immediately associates the exact description with Peter Quint, one of the household servants that had already died. It is impossible that the governess could have come up with a character that looks exactly like a particular person, thus confirming that the spirit was real and that the governess is sane. The governess then describes another apparition she sees as a “woman in black, pale and dreadful…” (James 30). Mrs. Grose later confirms that the woman is Miss Jessel, the former governess who had also died. Both of these vivid descriptions disprove the argument that the governess had created an image of the apparition herself, while also proving that the apparitions are real and that the governess is
sane. The governess’ sanity is confirmed when Miles acknowledges Peter Quint’s presence. At the end of the story, the governess asks Miles who he refers to when he asks if it is “he” and he responds with: “Peter Quint -- you devil!” (James 86). Many have argued over whether he is addressing Peter Quint or the governess. While both sides can be disputed, it is more plausible that Miles’s statement is directed towards Quint. Throughout the entire story, Miles does not display any signs of hatred or dislike to the governess; in fact, he is rather affectionate towards her. However, the story never addresses how Miles felt towards Peter Quint. Mrs. Grose mentions earlier in the story that “it was Quint’s own fancy...to play with [Miles and] to spoil him” (James 26). This suggests that Peter Quint enjoyed Miles’s presence and that it was his own choice to play with him. However, since there is no mention of Miles’ attitude towards Quint, he may have not felt the same, leading to the belief that his statement is directed towards Quint. This conclusion portrays that Miles can also sense Quint’s presence, proving that the governess is sane.
Many have argued over the governess’s mental state throughout the novel. Some claim that the governess is insane because she is the only one who sees the apparitions. When the governess sees Miss Jessel the second time at the lake, she asks Flora and Mrs. Grose if they see her, to which Mrs. Grose responds with: “She isn’t there, little lady, and...you never see nothing, my sweet!” (p.71). Throughout the story, Mrs. Grose tends to agree and side with the governess concerning every issue. This makes her an unreliable character because she often does not have very strong opinions. Her unreliability is further emphasized by the fact that she is a flat character with no background story or distinct personality; thus, her character cannot be trusted enough to determine the governess’s sanity. Another argument that can be made is that the governess is insane because she kills Miles at the end of the story. However, she states that “at the end of a minute [she] began to feel what it truly was that [she] held” (James 87). If an insane person committed a crime, they would not have the ability to register the fact that what they did was wrong. This proves that the governess is sane because she realizes what she had done, meaning she is sensible enough to realize her mistake.
In The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, the character of the governess is considered sane because of her rationality, the apparitions’ close resemblance to specific people, and Miles’s recognition of Peter Quint at the end of the story. The governess’s actions align with the definition of sanity, which include rationality and soundness of mind.
rationality by displaying that she is able to stay focused on her job despite having seen and heard strange things. Later in the novel, while the governess is playing with Flora by the lake, she sees Miss Jessel’s spirit. She then “[holds her] breath while [she waits] for what a cry from [Flora]...would tell [her]” (James 29). Instead of immediately panicking, the governess remains calm so that she does not startle Flora. This scene illustrates the governess’s ability to think logically by confirming that she has the capability to assess the given situation before reacting. Thus, she is considered sane because she contains both rationality and reason. Another factor that proves the governess sane is the fact that the apparitions’ features match with those of previous Bly household workers.
The governess describes the first apparition she sees as as having “red hair, very red, close-curling, and a pale face...and little, rather queer whiskers that are as red as his hair” (James 23). After the governess tells Mrs. Grose about the apparition, she immediately associates the exact description with Peter Quint, one of the household servants that had already died. It is impossible that the governess could have come up with a character that looks exactly like a particular person, thus confirming that the spirit was real and that the governess is sane. The governess then describes another apparition she sees as a “woman in black, pale and dreadful…” (James 30). Mrs. Grose later confirms that the woman is Miss Jessel, the former governess who had also died. Both of these vivid descriptions disprove the argument that the governess had created an image of the apparition herself, while also proving that the apparitions are real and that the governess is
sane. The governess’ sanity is confirmed when Miles acknowledges Peter Quint’s presence. At the end of the story, the governess asks Miles who he refers to when he asks if it is “he” and he responds with: “Peter Quint -- you devil!” (James 86). Many have argued over whether he is addressing Peter Quint or the governess. While both sides can be disputed, it is more plausible that Miles’s statement is directed towards Quint. Throughout the entire story, Miles does not display any signs of hatred or dislike to the governess; in fact, he is rather affectionate towards her. However, the story never addresses how Miles felt towards Peter Quint. Mrs. Grose mentions earlier in the story that “it was Quint’s own fancy...to play with [Miles and] to spoil him” (James 26). This suggests that Peter Quint enjoyed Miles’s presence and that it was his own choice to play with him. However, since there is no mention of Miles’ attitude towards Quint, he may have not felt the same, leading to the belief that his statement is directed towards Quint. This conclusion portrays that Miles can also sense Quint’s presence, proving that the governess is sane.
Many have argued over the governess’s mental state throughout the novel. Some claim that the governess is insane because she is the only one who sees the apparitions. When the governess sees Miss Jessel the second time at the lake, she asks Flora and Mrs. Grose if they see her, to which Mrs. Grose responds with: “She isn’t there, little lady, and...you never see nothing, my sweet!” (p.71). Throughout the story, Mrs. Grose tends to agree and side with the governess concerning every issue. This makes her an unreliable character because she often does not have very strong opinions. Her unreliability is further emphasized by the fact that she is a flat character with no background story or distinct personality; thus, her character cannot be trusted enough to determine the governess’s sanity. Another argument that can be made is that the governess is insane because she kills Miles at the end of the story. However, she states that “at the end of a minute [she] began to feel what it truly was that [she] held” (James 87). If an insane person committed a crime, they would not have the ability to register the fact that what they did was wrong. This proves that the governess is sane because she realizes what she had done, meaning she is sensible enough to realize her mistake.
In The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, the character of the governess is considered sane because of her rationality, the apparitions’ close resemblance to specific people, and Miles’s recognition of Peter Quint at the end of the story. The governess’s actions align with the definition of sanity, which include rationality and soundness of mind.