• Home Page
  • Comparison Between Good And Evil In The Turn Of The Screw By Henry James

Comparison Between Good And Evil In The Turn Of The Screw By Henry James

Decent Essays
Show More
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James is a typical representation of the contention between good and evil. The story represents that the ghostly apparitions of Peter Quint and Miss Jessel as evil forces. The ghosts only appear to the governess because evil hide in nuance before it strikes. The Turn of the Screw is presented as a horror novel specifically one belonging to the genre of ghost story, but it would be more appropriately categorized as a mystery. The real mystery of the novel is left to each individual reader to solve on their own. Because the important events of the story are provided to the reader only by one witness, the solution each reader arrives at will answer the ultimate question of The Turn of the Screw: is the Governess

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    How Does Lewis Present Evil In The Screwtape Letter
    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages

    How Does Lewis Present Evil In The Screwtape Letter

    The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis portrayed evil in a way that I found extremely interesting. A demon named Screwtape writes letters to his nephew, Wormwood, to guide him on trying to keep a human away from God. He tells Wormwood that he should keep his “Patient” busy and never allow him time to get close with God. The way that evil is portrayed is interesting because it is never manifested to the human. It is just a force prompting them to do certain things that will eventually lead them to turn away from God.…

    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Good And Evil In John Steinbeck's East Of Eden
    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Good And Evil In John Steinbeck's East Of Eden

    In East of Eden Cathy and Cal embody the concept of evil, profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity unlike the term good, morally excellent, virtuous, and righteous. Although, these characters are given the title evil they still have the potential to be good despite the motivations and actions that have caused this assertion. For instance, Cal contemplates with the idea of “Timshel”(Heavilin 21) and realizes he doesn't have to be an image of “Cathy's....evil monstrosity”(Heavilin 23). Likewise, Cathy has some moments of morality before she dies such as her reminisces about Arons purity. The concept of good and evil causes Cathy and Cal’s human nature to effect the outcome of their lives along with others.…

    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    East Of Eden Good Vs Evil Essay
    • 1075 Words
    • 5 Pages

    East Of Eden Good Vs Evil Essay

    The contrast between good and evil proves to be the basis of Steinbeck’s plot portrayed in East of Eden. The narrator suggests that the struggle between good and evil is reoccurring of human nature and has been around since the beginning of human kind. Still, with the conflict between good and evil comes the choice that must be made between the two. The Bible teaches that there is a freedom to choose between either good and evil and calls this “timshel,” an idea that is expressed throughout the novel. Although some born with evil tendencies, the ability to choose between right and wrong is something all members of the Salinas Valley possess.…

    • 1075 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Evil In Lord Of The Flies
    • 1236 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Evil In Lord Of The Flies

    Inside each of us there is good and evil, and normally the evil lays dormant. However, in survival situations, this evil can take over. In William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies, the evil inside each boy is awakened. The novel begins with boys from England, ages six through twelve, dropped on a remote island without civilization, causing the group of boys to fend for themselves for months without adult supervision. As time goes on, the boys become more animalistic, causing their dormant evil to come alive.…

    • 1236 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Is The Ambiguity Of Truth In The Turn Of The Screw By Henry James
    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Is The Ambiguity Of Truth In The Turn Of The Screw By Henry James

    In Henry James’ short horror story, The Turn of the Screw, James challenges the reader’s conception of reality and reliability. Moreover, the ambiguity of truth permeating the Governess’ psyche acts as a central motif throughout the story. Whist his work prompted many literary critics to provide their own explanations, not all interpretations are of equal merit. In this regard, one can consider Wayne C. Booth’s reader-response perspective on The Turn of the Screw deserving of such merit. Throughout his essay, Booth presents various avenues of analysis a reader can follow when scrutinizing James’ short story.…

    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Battle Of Good And Evil In Lord Of The Flies
    • 1147 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Battle Of Good And Evil In Lord Of The Flies

    The Ultimate Battle of Good vs Evil Many novels and events throughout history, such as the Bible or Winston Churchill vs Adolf Hitler, use the idea of a perpetual battle of good vs evil, where the two sides are in a constant power struggle to the end. In Lord of the Flies, the protagonist, Ralph, if given the chance to lead for an extended period of time on the island, would be a superior and more successful leader, in comparison to his rival, Jack. Both of these boys are very resourceful, have a exceptional sense of initiative, and possess a certain amount of wisdom. Both Ralph and Jack are interesting leaders in their own ways, but Ralph has an advantage given his ideas of long term rescue and safety. As a matter of fact, to be a successful…

    • 1147 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Evil In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Evil In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

    The Scarlet Letter is a historical fiction novel originally published in 1850 by Ticknor, Reed, and Fields. Written by Nathanial Hawthorne.(http://www.bartleby.com/br/83.html) The novel gives an inside look at the puritan religious structure and the impact of their belief. The setting of the narrative is taken in Boston, Massachusets in the middle of the seventeenth century. The narrator analyzes each character by telling their stories and introducing them to the reader.…

    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Literary Techniques In The Turn Of The Screw
    • 1444 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Literary Techniques In The Turn Of The Screw

    Literary Techniques and the Horror of The Turn of the Screw One purpose of Henry James’ gothic novella The Turn of the Screw is to instill fear in the reader. There are several features of this work that make the story horror inducing; first, James’ deals with the idea of the corruption of innocence of children. In the story’s opening chapter, the observation is made that the corruption of a child in a ghost story “adds a particular touch” (James 115). Fear is also associated with the novella because it forges a personal connection with the reader by the use of the universal themes of death and the unknown.…

    • 1444 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Good And Evil In Grendel, By John Gardner
    • 1247 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Good And Evil In Grendel, By John Gardner

    Grendel, by John Gardner, offers an alternate perspective to the infamous events of Beowulf. An insight to the mind of a ruthless monster, one that slaughters all in it 's path, with no mercy. But is it that simple? Grendel is complex, composed of layer upon layer of conflicting thoughts and emotions. However, all of the character’s actions seem to imply an evil streak, of various degrees and visibility.…

    • 1247 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Ambiguity Of Good And Evil In William Shakespeare's Macbeth
    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Ambiguity Of Good And Evil In William Shakespeare's Macbeth

    Xun Zi said that, “Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity”. Macbeth displays the tendencies of human nature to be evil as well as the ways in which it attempts to be good. The author and playwright William Shakespeare, also uses character foil to show the extreme differences in morals, ambition, and the tendencies of human nature. The characters Macbeth and Banquo personify the ambiguity of good and evil. They are both portrayed as ambitious men, but as the play progresses only one is consumed by his ambition and the temptations of power.…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Good Vs. Evil In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Good Vs. Evil In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

    In The Scarlet Letter, there are many symbols and themes. One of these themes is good vs. evil. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses plant imagery to illustrate his theme of good vs. evil. The Scarlet Letter contains evil elements such as betrayal and deceit, but it also contains good elements such as free spirit and positivity. Hawthorne uses weeds to illustrate the betrayal and deceit found in The Scarlet Letter.…

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Concept Of Good Vs. Evil In The Crucible By Arthur Miller
    • 1064 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Concept Of Good Vs. Evil In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

    During the conservative time of Puritanism, the town of Salem based their belief system on the idea of good vs. evil, or God vs. Satan. This theme can be seen in Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible, and is demonstrated not only through events but also through the major and minor characters. More specifically, Tituba and Abigail Williams exemplify both sides of this theme and their actions eventually manifest into something greater that clearly explains the concept of good vs. bad. In the play, many events and characters represent the theme of good vs. evil, but Tituba’s and Abigail William’s actions epitomize the theme the best.…

    • 1064 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    James Literary Context
    • 427 Words
    • 2 Pages

    James Literary Context

    Analysis of Literary Context of James Throughout the book, James showed great understanding of Jesus’ teachings and clearly criticized believers for behavior unfitting for those claiming to be followers of Christ (Elwell & Yarbrough, 2003). Having heard Jesus preach on multiple occasions, it influenced his own theological and ethical instructions to the Jewish community to whom he was writing (Porter, 2005). Examples include James 2:1, “believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism”, in James 4:2, “You desire but do not have, so you kill”, and again in verse four, “you adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?” As one reads James 2:8-11 they will discover that his preaching…

    • 427 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Theme Of Corruption In The Picture Of Dorian Gray
    • 1207 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Theme Of Corruption In The Picture Of Dorian Gray

    Dark desires and forbidden pleasures of gothic novels are at the center of The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Turn of the Screw. The novels explore the relationship between the corrupted and the corruptor. The gothic novels The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and The Turn of the Screw by Henry James share the idea of corruption, but in different ways; The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of moral corruption and extreme narcissism while The Turn of the Screw tells of corruption of innocence, though the effects of corruption are the same in both novels. Wilde used Lord Henry Wotton in The Picture of Dorian Gray to represent the forces of corruption in the novel (Nethercot 850). Dorian Gray, initially introduced to the reader as pure…

    • 1207 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Macbeth Good Vs Evil Analysis
    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macbeth Good Vs Evil Analysis

    Each and every one of us has a conflict inside ourselves, the conflict between good and evil. It can consume us until a side is chosen to prevail, leaving the other in the dust. This is much like how it is in the world and in the play Macbeth. In Macbeth, there is a fight between characters to see which will prevail, good or evil. In Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses iambic pentameters and motifs to convey the message that good will always prevail over the likes of evil.…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings