Turn Of The Screw Paper
Hannah Stawkey
AP English
Mr. Baker
5 January 2015
The Governess with a Loose Screw
In The Turn of the Screw by Henry James the protagonist, the governess, continues to see two ghosts, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel, at Bly Estate. Throughout the novel the governess believes that the ghosts are trying to communicate with the children and they are there to corrupt and hurt them. However, the children never make mention of the ghosts, so it may be possible that the ghosts are not really there and the governess is making the sightings up. Because the governess becomes obsessive over the children, she wants protect the children and be the hero, and she is the only one to see them it is clear that the ghosts are not real and are mere figments of her imagination. Originally, the governess takes the job at Bly for the money and because she is interested in the uncle. However, once she begins her job and starts looking after the children she becomes extremely invested in her job, she even starts to become obsessive over the children and does not spend much time without them, “Let me add that in their company now—and I was very careful almost never to be out of it—I could follow no scent very far” (63). Also once she starts to “see” the ghosts, she starts watching over the children more closely, even to the extent of staying awake until the children are safe and sleeping. Because of this, the governess begins to lose sleep. The governess even says to herself that she has not had much sleep (108). Since she says this, it is possible that she is becoming so tired, from keeping such a close eye on the kids, that she is starting to see things and convince herself that there are things, or people, there, that really are not, like the ghosts. Throughout the novel the governess becomes very obsessive and possessive over the children, and this could be one of the reasons that she makes the ghosts up. If the ghosts are there and they are trying to take away the children, she
AP English
Mr. Baker
5 January 2015
The Governess with a Loose Screw
In The Turn of the Screw by Henry James the protagonist, the governess, continues to see two ghosts, Peter Quint and Miss Jessel, at Bly Estate. Throughout the novel the governess believes that the ghosts are trying to communicate with the children and they are there to corrupt and hurt them. However, the children never make mention of the ghosts, so it may be possible that the ghosts are not really there and the governess is making the sightings up. Because the governess becomes obsessive over the children, she wants protect the children and be the hero, and she is the only one to see them it is clear that the ghosts are not real and are mere figments of her imagination. Originally, the governess takes the job at Bly for the money and because she is interested in the uncle. However, once she begins her job and starts looking after the children she becomes extremely invested in her job, she even starts to become obsessive over the children and does not spend much time without them, “Let me add that in their company now—and I was very careful almost never to be out of it—I could follow no scent very far” (63). Also once she starts to “see” the ghosts, she starts watching over the children more closely, even to the extent of staying awake until the children are safe and sleeping. Because of this, the governess begins to lose sleep. The governess even says to herself that she has not had much sleep (108). Since she says this, it is possible that she is becoming so tired, from keeping such a close eye on the kids, that she is starting to see things and convince herself that there are things, or people, there, that really are not, like the ghosts. Throughout the novel the governess becomes very obsessive and possessive over the children, and this could be one of the reasons that she makes the ghosts up. If the ghosts are there and they are trying to take away the children, she