The Governess In The Turn Of The Screw

Improved Essays
The battle between the humble governess and the evil Quint in The Turn of The Screw rages on. The author of the ambiguous novella, Henry James, includes few vague details while writing his book. While reading his book, it is important to make predictions about what is happening. Throughout the book, the governess tries to protect the two innocent children from the ghost of Peter Quint. A group could argue all day about what happened in this book. Different characters play the different roles of good and evil. From examining the actions of Peter Quint, the governess, and Mrs. Grose, and Miss Jessel, it is clear that the governess and Mrs. Grose are on the good side and Peter Quint and Miss Jessel are on the evil side. The ghost of Peter Quint …show more content…
The governess said that being around Peter Quint “[Is] like fighting with a demon for a human soul” (James 143). One could say that Peter Quint and the governess are fighting over Miles’s soul. Considering that what the governess said is a comparison, it is probably not true. The governess puts herself in an awkward position between Miss Jessel, Mrs. Grose, Miles, and Flora. The governess thinks that Flora sees Miss Jessel and isn’t telling her about it. Mrs. Grose doesn’t question the governess about her seeing Miss Jessel, but she probably thinks that the governess is overreacting a bit. Miles won’t tell the governess about what happened at school. He wants to show that he can be bad, while the governess says she will do anything for him (James …show more content…
The governess protects Flora from Miss Jessel. Except for what she looks like and that she was the governess’s predecessor, Henry James doesn’t give much information on Miss Jessel. She wears black and has pale skin. In the end of the book, Miles mysteriously dies. There is never a reason revealed for Miles’s death, but there are many ways he could have died. He could have been scared to death by the governess. He could have been smothered to death by the governess when she was trying to protect him. Peter Quint could have left Miles’s soul and released his repressed emotions. Overall, the good-minded characters in this book are Mrs. Grose and the governess, because they just want to help and protect the children. The evil-minded characters in this book are Peter Quint and Miss Jessel, because Quint haunts Miles, and Miss Jessel disturbs Flora and the governess. Who ultimately wins the battle of good and evil depends on the cause of Miles’s death. Henry James made especially the ending of this novel ambiguous, not giving a reason to Miles’s death, except for the fact that “His little heart, dispossessed, had stopped” (James 149). So it remains unclear who ultimately won the battle because the cause of Miles’s death is never

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    How far would you go to save your life? To what extreme would you go to? Would you let those you love, die? The Crucible is a book written by Arthur Miller about the Salem Witch Trials in the 1600’s. The Witch Trials was a time of revenge against their neighbors.…

    • 1059 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Many view Satan as an abstract concept, but what is not realized is that Satan is real and that he wants our human souls. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a novel of thirty-one letters, written from an experienced devil, Screwtape, to his inexperienced nephew, Wormwood. In these letters, Screwtape suggests various ways Wormwood can distract his “patient”, specifically a middle aged male, from his faith in God. Screwtape's instructions include tempting the patient to rely on realistic materials in hopes of turning him against God, who cannot be seen. Wormwood tries to tempt his patient following Screwtape's advice, but fails to do so.…

    • 1633 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Chris Colfer once claimed, “A villain is just a victim whose story has not been told.” It is sometimes the actions of the supposed heroes themselves that force the characters to be seen in a villainous light. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Abigail Williams is a villain whose actions are provoked by the prejudice and ignorance of people in the world around her. As a result, she becomes one of the greatest influences of the witchcraft trials in Salem, and readers view her as seditious and evil. However, her actions are not the result of her malicious character, but are rather the result of past and current injustices.…

    • 1047 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The Governess knew exactly what the ghosts looked like and she never knew them. 2. What exactly is so scary about Peter Quint (well, aside from the fact that he's dead)? Peter Quint is trying to possess Miles. He also tried to seduce Miss Jessel.…

    • 297 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Lester Fuller and Edwin Rolfe once said “You can never tell a book by its cover” (qtd. in gingersoftware.com). In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, John Proctor an ordinary farmer in Salem and Reverend Hale, a reputable priest, charged to investigate and expose witchcraft in Salem, both, by the end of the play have been through conflicts and made several difficult choices. Nevertheless, both characters play an important role in the play. To understand the roles of John Proctor and Reverend Hale’s importance in The Crucible, one has to first understand the conflicts they’ve experienced, the choices they’ve made and the statures they’ve achieved. John Proctor, arguably the main character of The Crucible, have had several conflicts during the play as he comes to the realization of his actions towards God and the people he has convicted.…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The world can twist what it perceives as right and wrong in many people’s eyes leaving those who act in good spirit behind and propel those that act in bad spirit forward. The Crucible by Arthur Miller proves a prime example of this fact. Salem, Massachusetts, a corrupt town ruled by priests mixed in with mass hysteria, sets the stage for this story in which the liars and deceivers triumph over those who tell the truth and try to defend their loved ones. John Proctor, one of the victims of the town’s wrath, starts his journey as a respected farmer, but the deceitful Abigail Williams soon turns on him. The same fate awaits the wife of Proctor, Elizabeth.…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In Comparison to the association previously made between the The Crucible and Oleanna, the article by Catherine Burr titled “False Allegations of Sexual Harassment: Misunderstandings and Realities” presents similar ideas on how figures of high authority tend to take advantage over the minority using their power, in terms of sexual abuse. The article alludes towards the impacts of power over others and how manipulation can damage a person's career. Similarly in The Crucible, when Abigail blames John Proctor for witchcraft, she uses principles of manipulation and twisting the truth, in return for her own safety. Eventually, Abigail's actions leads to consequences for not only John but, all the people of Salem when in reality, she was the one…

    • 281 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In the midst of a war, how people interact with others from different cultures or within their own, may be their making or breaking point. In the book Storming Heaven by Denise Giardina and in the movie Matewan, it is clear to see how the miners have conflicts with the coal company, the scabs, and with themselves, and how the miners unite within themselves and with the others. Each of these interactions, both bad and good, impact the fight for the miner’s basic human rights against the company men. The first three-quarters of the book are filled with conflict as people try to figure out what is going on, how to deal with their problems, and who their friends are.…

    • 1391 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Who is to blame? Not all stories have a happy ending. When tragedy hits, it brings great misfortune within ones life. Like wise, in Arthur Millers play, The Crucible, the tragedy of the Salem witch trials effect everyone in the community, but who is to blame for this?…

    • 1449 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    It is a cold and blissful night in the sad civilization of Salem, Massachusetts with the sound of young girls giggling in the distance as they dance and sing with joy. ‘Round and ‘Round a campfire they roam as they tribute those who have died in the past, trying to bring them back to life. The fog is rising to bring a new day full of accusations, death, and revenge. In the Crucible, Arthur Miller tells the tale of those who are too fearful to speak out against the lies that are being told by Abigail, the maid who has to seek revenge for not getting what she wants. With the threat of being accused of witchcraft, the town of Salem is walking on eggshells to please an insecure girl and her tribe of liars that she control with a single word.…

    • 1736 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    During the Salem Witch Trials, a variety of people were tried for witchcraft. At the time of the trials, much panic and scapegoating ensued, as demonstrated in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Miller’s play displays the different character behaviours as a result of the hysteria and paranoia of the time. As it turns out, the “witchcraft” these people were being tried for did not exist. However bizarre the idea of this magic was, it did not stop people from turning upon one another if it would convenience them.…

    • 1704 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Of the damned" and that "she wants Flora" (James 198). The action taken is for the governess to remain at Bly after all and write to the Master. The final sequence concludes with the death of Miles, we are left to interpret this ourselves and there is no further action, thus the story ends. This structure is used by James to convince the reader of the reality of the ghosts whilst also causing us to question their ghostly motives and the governess’s reality (Costello 321).…

    • 1444 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Crucible portrays the events of the Salem witch trials and the havoc it has created upon a puritanical society. In Arthur Miller’s play, panic and hysteria of witchcraft fall upon the whole community. Within this particular assembly of characters, there are some unforgettable characters whose actions can, in a sense, change the town. These characters — Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor — stand out among the rest. Selfish traits and actions of revenge grow in Abigail’s heart while selflessness and forgiveness lie in Elizabeth’s heart.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The primary purpose of a government should be to protect and serve its people, right? Not always. Consider this; what if the government 's top priority is really itself? In Arthur Miller 's The Crucible, the government turns selfish, exhibits corruption, argues evidence, and becomes unfair to its people. Governments become corrupt and unfair as they move away from the best interest of the people to preserve their own reputation as seen through the actions of Reverend Parris and Judge Danforth. One example of government only looking to preserve its reputation is exhibited in Act I when Parris attempts to save face.…

    • 1319 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The fact that when John, a man of authority within the Salem community, goes to court and states that Abigail has concocted this huge lie, and the court chooses to believe Abigail, a young, unmarried girl, shows Proctor’s significant loss of influence and credibility during the Salem witch trials. The themes of loss of power and abuse of power within the play, The Crucible, are more thoroughly explored than the theme of…

    • 1183 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays