Notes on The Turn of The Screw how James disturbs and involves readers
How does Henry James seek to disturb and involve the readers in The Turn of the Screw?
The Turn of the Screw is a Victorian, gothic novella, which seeks to disturb and involve the readers. James is able to achieve this through a variety of literary devices, including effectively building and maintaining suspense and the use of supernatural and gothic elements to disturb the reader. By far the greatest device used by James in disturbing and capturing the reader is the interpretive and speculative nature of the novella. Through the presentation of both ghostly apparitions and psychological elements, James engages the reader in a disturbing and engaging consideration of reality versus the psyche.
James ultimately leaves the reader of the Turn of the Screw with more questions than answers, as his novella is entirely open to interpretation. It is this lack of adequate explanation for the disturbing events in the novella that leaves the reader feeling disturbed and highly engaged with the text. In the decades following the publication of the novella it is generally accepted that the Governess was a good character, fighting against evil ghosts to protect the children. This is noted in the statement, “I was there to protect and defend the little creatures”. However in the early 1920s, critics began to suggest that the story centred around the Governess’ troubled mind rather than supernatural occurrences. James’ writing contains much ambiguity and almost every critical incidence can be interpreted to prove that the Governess is mad as well as to prove that the apparition exists.. It is this ambiguity that has allowed critics to become involved in speculation within this story and has created and enduring disturbia due to the lack of answers and explanations offered in the text.
Within the texts there are two possible meanings. The first is that the novella is a succession of real events that have been objectively reported. It follows from this
The Turn of the Screw is a Victorian, gothic novella, which seeks to disturb and involve the readers. James is able to achieve this through a variety of literary devices, including effectively building and maintaining suspense and the use of supernatural and gothic elements to disturb the reader. By far the greatest device used by James in disturbing and capturing the reader is the interpretive and speculative nature of the novella. Through the presentation of both ghostly apparitions and psychological elements, James engages the reader in a disturbing and engaging consideration of reality versus the psyche.
James ultimately leaves the reader of the Turn of the Screw with more questions than answers, as his novella is entirely open to interpretation. It is this lack of adequate explanation for the disturbing events in the novella that leaves the reader feeling disturbed and highly engaged with the text. In the decades following the publication of the novella it is generally accepted that the Governess was a good character, fighting against evil ghosts to protect the children. This is noted in the statement, “I was there to protect and defend the little creatures”. However in the early 1920s, critics began to suggest that the story centred around the Governess’ troubled mind rather than supernatural occurrences. James’ writing contains much ambiguity and almost every critical incidence can be interpreted to prove that the Governess is mad as well as to prove that the apparition exists.. It is this ambiguity that has allowed critics to become involved in speculation within this story and has created and enduring disturbia due to the lack of answers and explanations offered in the text.
Within the texts there are two possible meanings. The first is that the novella is a succession of real events that have been objectively reported. It follows from this