Classics Corner: The Turn of The Screw by Henry James; Haunting Gothic Ghost Story is a Suspenseful Psychological Tale That Asks More Questions Than Gives Answers

Classics Corner: The Turn of The Screw by Henry James; Haunting Gothic Ghost Story is a Suspenseful Psychological Tale That Asks More Questions Than Gives Answers

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews




Spoilers: I apologize for being late and having so many entries at once, but there was a cold and flu bug going around our house and I had headaches that prevented me from going on the Internet for very long, but I am better and I have a lot to show.
 Henry James knew a thing or two about psychology as well as the supernatural. His brother, William was an eminent philosopher, psychologist, and is considered the Father of Modern American Psychology. He also was a believer in Spiritualism and Mysticism and was the founder of the American Society for Psychical Research. These topics also interested Henry as many of his novels have shown.

Many of Henry James’ novels dissect the motives and means behind his characters particularly his female protagonists. Whether it's Wings of a Dove’s Kate Croy, Washington Square's Catherine Sloper, Daisy Miller's titular character, or (my favorite) Portrait of a Lady’s Isabel Archer, James took his Readers inside the female psyche to show how these characters challenged or surrendered to the world around them. Many of his characters were haunted by past misdeeds, structures that confined them, and expectations and ambitions that they strove to meet but often came up short. In short, many of his protagonists were haunted people.




That's what makes James’ novella, The Turn of the Screw so fascinating. Throughout the book, the Reader is uncertain whether it is the area or the people that are haunted. Are the spirits real or hallucinations? All the Reader knows for sure is whenever haunted people and haunted situations get together, unpleasant things are certain to happen.




The Narrator of James’ story is an unnamed governess who is hired to look after Flora and Miles, a young orphaned brother and sister put in the the custody of their wealthy uncle. The uncle, having no experience with children, is often away leaving the children at boarding school or under the care of servants. (In fact, the uncle is barely in the book no doubt to avoid a Jane Eyre/Rochester romance between him and the governess.) Shortly after the Governess arrives, young Miles is expelled from his school for reasons that are never fully explained but implied was because of some “untoward violation.” He returns to his home to join his sister and the staff.




That's when the Governess starts seeing some strange figures of a man and woman hovering within mirrors, through windows, and often near the children. They have menacing expressions, seem to appear and disappear at will, and no one else acknowledges their presence. The Governess becomes frightened especially after she describes the Ghostly Duo to Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper. Mrs. Grose reveals that they resemble Miss Jessel, the Governess’ predecessor and Peter Quint, the uncle's valet who had a sexual relationship with Miss Jessel. That's all interesting in a gossipy sort of way except um...Quint and Miss Jessel are well you know….dead.

The Governess is determined to protect the children especially when it appears that Flora and Miles see and communicate with the ghosts. What is their intention? Are they planning on harming the children from the other side or killing them and dragging them to Hell? Are they manifestations of some kind of secret guilt that the residents share? Are the ghosts even real or projects of an overactive imagination from an excitable and overwrought governess? James never tells us the answer.




The Turn of the Screw is one of those type of books that leaves the interpretation up to the Reader. While that can be annoying to some, others (such as myself) enjoy this psychological approach of providing their own analytical response to the book.

Many hints are provided that Quint and Jessel were not nice people in life to say the least. Mrs. Grose implied that Quint was “too free with everyone,” and that Miss Jessel often acquiesced to his leadership. Could that have meant that he molested Miles and that he groomed Miss Jessel to molest Flora? It's possible.




Flora and Miles exhibit what could be considered classic signs of being victims of sexual abuse. Flora often keeps to herself and wanders off to unknown locations. Miles acts extremely mature and exhibits knowledge of adult activities beyond his age. Then there's his expulsion, conveniently after Quint's death. Could Miles have exhibited some of his new found knowledge to his fellow students or exhibited some other violent or aggressive tendencies that he learned from Quint? With his superficial charm, secretive nature, and desire to disobey his elders (such as sneaking out of the house at night) just because “he can,” Miles certainly exhibits signs of being a budding sociopath. Are the ghosts then planning to possess the kids to continue their control over them from Beyond?




Then there's the Governess. While she is clearly concerned and protective over the children, she is also prone to fits of hysteria. Many times after she encounters the ghosts, she comes across as a mentally ill person, particularly trying to convince everyone else that the ghosts exist. Her behavior seems to suggest that the ghosts may not be real and are products of her imagination or hallucinations from a repressed, but unhinged mind. (Though if that were true, it would not explain how the Governess would know what Quint and Jessel, two people she had never met before, look like enough for Mrs. Grose to recognize them from her description.)




At times the Governess could be just as unbalanced and just as harmful to the children as her predecessors, even in her determination to save them. In one frightening passage, The Governess’ insane rambling frightens Flora particularly after the girl tells her she doesn't see the ghosts. Ironically in trying to prevent Flora from being taken by the ghosts, the Governess’ behavior isolates Flora and particularly Miles further and puts them right in their paths.




The Turn of the Screw is the type of ghost story that is more than a simple tale involving ghosts. It raises more questions than answers forcing the Readers to make their own conclusions therefore proving that sometimes the scariest ghosts are found inside the human mind.