THE TURN OF THE THE TURN OF THE SCREWSCREW

THEMES and MESSAGESTHEMES and MESSAGES

THEMES / HEROISMTHEMES / HEROISM

Superiority of the governess can be seen in the Superiority of the governess can be seen in the story.story.

She tries to govern the behaviour,thought She tries to govern the behaviour,thought of others.She keeps them under her tumb.of others.She keeps them under her tumb. This causes bad ending but it can be said that This causes bad ending but it can be said that

one of the guilty is uncle who burdens all one of the guilty is uncle who burdens all responsibility to governess’ shoulder.responsibility to governess’ shoulder.

Because of loving him,she does her best Because of loving him,she does her best according to her to please him,which can be according to her to please him,which can be described as destructive heroism.described as destructive heroism.

WOMAN’S PLACEWOMAN’S PLACE In this age,women are accepted as In this age,women are accepted as

beautiful,naive people who don’t have a brain to beautiful,naive people who don’t have a brain to think about government issue.think about government issue.

This is reflected in the story as an irony that This is reflected in the story as an irony that while governess tries to govern children,because while governess tries to govern children,because of not having such an ability,she becomes of not having such an ability,she becomes unsuccessful.unsuccessful.

Also in this age,woman should be either Also in this age,woman should be either housewife,governess or prostitute like housewife,governess or prostitute like governess,who is a teacher and also a little governess,who is a teacher and also a little prostitute who has to live her desire with herself prostitute who has to live her desire with herself but thinking a man.but thinking a man.

RELATIONSHIPSRELATIONSHIPS

Both gay male and lesbian attractions are reflected in Both gay male and lesbian attractions are reflected in the novella.the novella.

Also Henry James’s preference about sex is Also Henry James’s preference about sex is reflectedLike Henry’s being homosexualreflectedLike Henry’s being homosexual

relationship between Quint and Miles is a homosexual relationship between Quint and Miles is a homosexual one,too.one,too.

Moreover lesbian relationship can be seen between Moreover lesbian relationship can be seen between governess and Flora.governess and Flora.

Another different relationship is between governess and Another different relationship is between governess and Miles.She sees him as uncle and so she has some sexual Miles.She sees him as uncle and so she has some sexual desire to Miles.desire to Miles.

SOCIAL CLASSSOCIAL CLASS

In this age there are some social classes.In this age there are some social classes. For example,Miss Jessel is thought in upper class For example,Miss Jessel is thought in upper class

thanks to her job,so her relationship with Quint doesn’t thanks to her job,so her relationship with Quint doesn’t accepted because of his low statue.accepted because of his low statue.

Also while Quint’s name becomes notorious because of Also while Quint’s name becomes notorious because of loving too many girls,uncle is accepted as an important loving too many girls,uncle is accepted as an important person,although he loves many girls,too.This shows us person,although he loves many girls,too.This shows us that there is discrimination between social classes. that there is discrimination between social classes.

CORRUPTION OF CORRUPTION OF INNOCENTINNOCENT

Governess’s fear of the children’s corruption Governess’s fear of the children’s corruption represents her protection of her own fears and represents her protection of her own fears and desires regarding sex onto her charges in fact.desires regarding sex onto her charges in fact.

Although corruption’s meaning isn’t said Although corruption’s meaning isn’t said explicitly,it means exposuring to knowledge of explicitly,it means exposuring to knowledge of sex for governess.sex for governess.

And she tries to prevent them from this And she tries to prevent them from this knowledge rather than ghosts,because according knowledge rather than ghosts,because according to her corruption of innocent is the worst thing. to her corruption of innocent is the worst thing.

CORRUPTION OF RELIGIONCORRUPTION OF RELIGION

In Victorian age,because ofIn Victorian age,because of reason,scientific searches, belief about religion reason,scientific searches, belief about religion

declines day by day.declines day by day. Also Henry James is one of the men who is Also Henry James is one of the men who is

against to religion,so he reflects his thoughts to against to religion,so he reflects his thoughts to the story.the story.

For many times governess doesn’t go church for For many times governess doesn’t go church for some reasons,which shows us the religion’s some reasons,which shows us the religion’s situation. situation.

TABOOTABOO There are some secret subjects on which the story is There are some secret subjects on which the story is

based.based. We can’t read some words such as penis, vagina in the We can’t read some words such as penis, vagina in the

story,but when we search,we can understand what refer story,but when we search,we can understand what refer to these words. For example,tower refers to penis and to these words. For example,tower refers to penis and lake refers to vaginalake refers to vagina

Henry James uses this theme in his novella to satire that Henry James uses this theme in his novella to satire that age and in fact he reflects the person’s nature and age and in fact he reflects the person’s nature and desires in his story to make people wake up and see bad desires in his story to make people wake up and see bad consequents of not making people conscious of such consequents of not making people conscious of such important subjects. important subjects.

SEXUAL DESIRESEXUAL DESIRE

This is forbidden subject,too.In that age,there This is forbidden subject,too.In that age,there shouldn’t be any desire for a woman related to shouldn’t be any desire for a woman related to sex because woman has sexual intercourse only sex because woman has sexual intercourse only to have children.to have children.

For example,although governess wants it,she is For example,although governess wants it,she is afraid of society’s pressure and this leads to afraid of society’s pressure and this leads to press her feeling.press her feeling.

It can be understood from the situation that It can be understood from the situation that governess is jealous of Miss Jessel’s sexual governess is jealous of Miss Jessel’s sexual infraction and she is apparently fascinated by it.infraction and she is apparently fascinated by it.

CONTRASTCONTRAST

Some extreme points can be seen in the novella.Some extreme points can be seen in the novella. For example,while governess loves Miles,For example,while governess loves Miles, she doesn’t do anything for his school.she doesn’t do anything for his school. Although she tries to do good things whichAlthough she tries to do good things which are accepted by the society,she doesn’t go to the are accepted by the society,she doesn’t go to the

church.church. These shows us that both belonging and being These shows us that both belonging and being

strange ,in short some contrasts in the story.strange ,in short some contrasts in the story.

GHOSTGHOST

In Romantic age,ghost is used for enjoy the story,but in In Romantic age,ghost is used for enjoy the story,but in Victorian age,it becomes more realistic.Victorian age,it becomes more realistic.

Also ghost enables us to search about psychology in Also ghost enables us to search about psychology in this novella,because ghosts that governess sees reflects this novella,because ghosts that governess sees reflects her thoughts.her thoughts.

Subjects that are mentioned by the governess shows us Subjects that are mentioned by the governess shows us her conciousness but main point that should be her conciousness but main point that should be indicated is her unconciousness because her real ideas indicated is her unconciousness because her real ideas are at this level.are at this level.

Thanks to dreams and wooden boat which are triggers Thanks to dreams and wooden boat which are triggers reveal her thoughts,her selfish need,sexual desire.reveal her thoughts,her selfish need,sexual desire.

MESSAGESMESSAGES

All ideas,thoughts related to our lifes should be All ideas,thoughts related to our lifes should be discussed explicitly,because they are facts of us.discussed explicitly,because they are facts of us.

Judging someone else is court’s duty not ours.Judging someone else is court’s duty not ours. The more negative you look at the events,the The more negative you look at the events,the

more negative conclusion will be.more negative conclusion will be. Accepting society’s rule without thinking will Accepting society’s rule without thinking will

harm us directly,and then society and its future harm us directly,and then society and its future indirectly.indirectly.