Discuss the idea that The turn of the Screw is written in such a way as to keep the reader in a perpetual state of uncertainty.

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Student number: 200404375

Module: Introduction to Literary Studies 14072

Tutor: Julie Ellam

Discuss the idea that The turn of the Screw is written in such a way as to keep the reader in a perpetual state of uncertainty.

Henry James creates and maintains a state of uncertainty throughout his novella The turn of the Screw. This begins with the inclusion of a prologue, which heightens the reader’s fear and urges them to continue reading. The narrative is often ambiguous, and there are a number of inconsistencies within the text itself as well as in its underlying themes.

One of James’ most effective means of maintaining this state of uncertainty is the narrative. The narration is unreliable throughout, as the majority of the tale is told through the eyes of the governess, and is therefore only her view of how things happened. In addition, this narrative is layered and filtered through Douglas, which further increases its unreliability.

           

Post-structuralist critics often “read the text against itself”, with the purpose of “knowing the text as it cannot know itself” by deconstructing it and inverting established binaries to destabilise traditional values and meanings (Eagleton, Barry p71).  Derrida, a Post-Structuralist, introduced “The Practice of Deconstruction”. This is described by Peter Barry as “uncover(ing) the unconscious rather than the conscious dimension of the text” (Barry p71). There is great evidence of the notion of “deconstruction” in The Turn of the Screw.

James maintains a state of uncertainty in The Turn of the Screw by deconstructing the traditional notions of good and evil. The governess has a very conventional view of

children and sees them as pure and angelic, and at times almost seems to idolise Miles and Flora. However, James’ deconstruction of these binaries causes the reader to reassess their interpretation of children, Miles in particular, and view them as “evil”. The notion of reinterpreting and deconstructing binary opposites is very common in Post-structuralist writing; Nietzsche famously claimed “There are no facts, only interpretations” (Barry p.63). This concept is particularly evident in James’ presentation of evil in The Turn of the Screw. The reader is left unable to decipher who is in fact “good” and who is “evil” and a sense of moral ambiguity is created.

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James’ treatment of power is also interesting as it too has been inverted and deconstructed. There seems to be an absence of power in the novella, male power in particular. The governess’ youth and inexperience suggest that she has been forced into a position of power, in which she is not happy. She does however, never seek help. It is her master that causes this isolation as he chooses to remain absent and escape his position of power. The governess’ response to her experiences at Bly is to take on more responsibility by keeping Miles at home after his ...

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