The Turn of the Screw, Henry James’s novel, is open to interpretation. Many readers believe that Ms. Jessel is the governess who sees ghosts of Peter Quint. Another group of critics and readers believe the governess is obsessed with the children and the former governess, and drives herself insane, leading to her to hallucinate. According to my opinion, the governess could have seen Peter Quint or Ms. Jessel’s ghosts but her circumstances might not have been so extreme. It is unlikely that the governess could have seen Quint or Jessel’s ghosts, as she had not met them when they were alive. The apparitions gradually drove the new governess insane, as she was obsessed with theories that the ghosts were corrupting the children or her own mind.
The new governess seemed to be in a good mood and eager to start her work at Bly. But, in the first few weeks of her work with Flora, the governess noticed strange things. She saw a ghostly looking man. It was Peter Quint, a former Bly valet. The governess discovers Flora’s older brother, Miles, has been permanently removed from school for unknown causes. The Bly estate was unanimous in believing that Miles was a well behaved, well-mannered young gentleman. The ghost of Ms. Jessel, the former governess, began to appear as the time went on. She began to believe that the ghosts were communicating almost in a way she was possessed with her children. Flora is suddenly taken ill by Mrs. Grose. When she speaks to Mrs. Grose she uses language that shocks Mrs. Grose. “From that boy – horrors!” She sighed in relief and said, “There!” “On my honor, Miss, she speaks things-!” She fell down at the evocation and cried out on my couch. (109). The governess is not allowed to spend as much time with Flora as Ms. Grose, and that’s despite the fact that Flora has been acting this way for so long. This is evidence that something is causing the children this behavior. The governess believes that Flora is being coerced by ghosts. Although the governess is stable when she arrives at Bly, her stability seems not to have changed over time. She becomes obsessed with the history of Peter Quint and Ms. Jessel as she learns more. She became more aware of their past and began to believe that the children were conspiring together with the ghosts. “But even as they pretend to be lost, they’re ensconced in their fantasy of the dead restored .”…. “They’re not talking about them – it’s horrors!” (69). Ms. Grose was informed by the governess of how the children deceived everyone. She claims that she saw the deceitful ways and true nature of the children, even though they pretend not to have. These suspicions grow as the governess obsesses on the ghosts’ control over the children. She determines that the Bly Estate is not safe for children and sends Flora, Miss Grose and Flora packing. Miles will be alone in her house, where she plans on confronting the ghost Peter Quint. “I was so determined that I had all my proof that he challenged me. “Whom are you referring to with ‘he?’?” ‘Peter Quint! You devil!'” (124). The governess attempts to convince Miles to confess to her madness. She wants him to say that he sees Peter Quint’s ghost and has been communicating with him all along. Miles’s comment “You devil” could refer to either the governess, or Peter Quint. I believe Miles refers to the governess. The governess’ madness is what causes Miles’ sudden death. Her identity changes throughout the story as her obsession with saving children from a greater evil drives her mad. Miles was only made worse by her mental fragility. It is evident that Miles’s death has made the governess feel accomplished in her mission of saving children. She was able believe that she did the right thing and saw his death as victory over the greater evil, which was only in her mind.
The horror story The Turn of the Screw is a tale that leaves readers to speculate on whether the governess really is insane or if they have ever witnessed paranormal activity. This left Henry James open to interpretation. Literary critics were not able to comment on his belief about the real reason for what happened at Bly. While it would seem that the children and governess were being haunted, this story can still be justified by the possibility of mental insanity by the governess. My opinion is that the governess drove herself into madness, which eventually led to her death, and she left others with scarring memories for the rest of her life. To cope with the fact her children were not innocent and pure, she became paranoid that the ghosts were conspiring to destroy her. These suspicions grew more as she witnessed more of the same, which made her realize her beliefs.
