The Turn of the Screw
Novella By Henry James
I am not sure what to make of The Turn of the Screw. It is a novella about a governess who takes on a new position where she has been tasked with taking care of two children; their uncle is their guardian, but he does not live with the children. The governess starts to see the ghosts of people (past employees of the estate) who are dead. The story is left open-ended, so there was no concrete conclusion, which I dislike.
I am subscribed to the Classic of the Month Club. This novella was chosen for October. Here are my answers to the discussion questions:
1. Bly seems to be an isolated estate. In my opinion, the most bizarre part of this novella is that the children’s guardian, their uncle, does not live with them. Why? It seems to me there are ramifications to children if their supposed guardian does not want to live with them.
2. Mrs. Grose (the housekeeper) becomes the test to the narrator if she is going crazy. She seems to go along with the narrator at first, but then not so much towards the end. This questions the sanity of the narrator.
3. At first, the readers are left with the impression that the two children are innocent. Later on in the novella, though, the boy, Miles, seems not to be so innocent. In fact, the reader finds out that Miles was expelled from school, which shatters this image of innocence. There is a part in the novella where Miles wants his uncle to come home. Is it possible that this lack of guardian in the house is causing all of this disturbing behavior? Has the natural order become disrupted because of the uncle’s separation from his niece and nephew?
Rating: 3/5
Next Novel to Review: Double Trouble (Savannah Secrets- Book 3)