Book Club : Psychology
Turn that Screw, bloggers...
posted by Ms. Clapp @ 12:55 PM
38 comments
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Previous Posts
- Book Club: Outrageous People
- Connection without Communication?
- After Death
- Mrs. Dalloway and the Meaning of Life
- The Beginning and Ending of Time
- Bring On The Wrinkles!
- The Hours Discussion
- Response to Class Discussion on Mrs. D
- Literature of Psychology Group
- Philosophical Literature Group
38 Comments:
Is the language and style of this book confusing anybody else? After reading the prologue and the first two chapters, I have adjusted a little but I still have some confusion as to what is going on at some points. I noticed right on the first page of the book that the meaning behind the book's title is discussed. The phrase "to turn the screw" indicates creating a higher level or terror or suspense. Just as Douglas intends to turn the screw on his friends with the ghost story of the two children, I think that James named the novel The Turn of the Screw because his writing is aimed to create suspense and terror in his audience. At the end of the second chapter, the death of the children's previous governess remains a mystery. I picked this up as foreshadowing and condemning the narrator's fate. Did anyone else pick up any foreshadowing hints?
Yeah i agree Taylor, im still very confused as to what is going on because of the language barrier. I started getting even more confused when the whole thing with the little boy (whom is not named) gets kicked out of school because it was "impossible to keep him". I don't understand much of that chunk of the story. I feel that Henry James' thoughts are very confusing as to which what he is trying to talk about so far.
I picked up some foreshadowing hints on page 30 when they are talking about the days. I'm not sure if this is really foreshadowing hint but it seems to fit in a way.
Though I wanted to ask Taylor where she saw all the horror schemes, I feel I have missed that. Was it in the prologue?
The horror scenes were generally distributed throughout the book, I gathered. If I understand the story so far, the currently nameless group of people gather together to tell each other scary stories, if you will; kind of like an adult, old English version of that TV show Are You Afraid of the Dark?The actual story being told is the one that Douglas described earlier, a story of a ghost visiting not one, but TWO children (ooo, scary!)
I definitely agree with finding the reading a bit confusing and tedious at times, but personally I think it’s due to the fact that the paragraphs are rather long and chunky, which to me makes the reading seem even longer than it really is.
As for the foreshadowing that’s evident, it actually reminds me of a movie my mom was watching once; I didn’t catch the name of it, but it was a story of this woman living in this house, and would rent it out; however, she was convinced that there were ghosts haunting the area, due to finding doors randomly closed, randomly locked, etc. However, as it turned out, the woman was the ghost, unaware of her predicament, while the “ghosts” were the living people. While I doubt that something that drastic would happen here, you never know.
Malisa i think that you are talking about The Others. It has the same story plot that you described earlier.
I wanted to talk about the man that she is talking about to Mrs. Grose in chapter 5. She calls him a "A horror". It seems to have embodied her soul the way this man appeared to her. She mentions that she had seen him before on a clock tower and now is seeing hime once again. It seems that this man is haunting her, she demonstrates to be severly frightend of him. She later describes him to have red curly hair, and it reminded me of the color as being evil. Like in Jane Eyre, how once is mentioned that the color red was symbolic to evil, and also the girl who came to Lowood who's hair they had to chop off because it was curly, also another symbolism towards evil.
If paying close attention to the book, I can sense that she seems scared of many things that are around her. Atleast that's how i've been viewing her.
Analu's mention of Jane Eyre reminded me that I wanted to discuss this: right at the beginning of chapter 4 (I know we all have different copies of the book and different page numbers) there is a reference to Jane Eyre. James writes, "Was there a 'secret' at Bly--a mystery of Udolpho or an insane, an unmentionable relative kept in unsuspected confinement?" (134) According to the footnotes in my book, in Jane Eyre (a part, obviously, that we haven't gotten to yet), Jane's boss keeps his insane first wife locked up in a room. I found this ironic coincidence very eerie, and I'm wondering of anyone else noticed similarities between the two books?
I noticed a very harsh difference: the way children are portrayed. Since Jane Eyre is written from Jane's point of view, and the audience sees the criticism she receives of being an unhappy child, along with her thoughts of other people which usually are not positive. On the other hand, in The Turn of the Screw the unnamed governess speaks only positively of Miles and Flora, often referring to them as angels reiterating how they are seemingly perfect; so much that it makes them almost impersonal or unreal.
I have been noticing lots of similarities between Jane Eyre and the Turn of the Screw. I really feel that there's a huge resemblance in the way the governess feels about the kids like Taylor mentioned. I also wanted to comment on how the reference to being locked up in a room, makes perfect sense the way Taylor talked about it because i feel that the character's in the novel are very suppressed most of the time. The wording of how many things doesn't help much to a clear understanding. I feel like the governess is consistently up to something new, always finding something new to make the novel more exciting and horrific.
In addition to what Analu said about character's repressing their feelings, I've noticed that as the story progresses and there are more ghost sightings, the governness and Mrs. Grose become more and more apprehensive in sharing information with each other. It seems like they have more and more trouble having regular conversations, as they are growing obsessed with the presence of ghosts at Bry and are worried about the safety of Miles and Flora, who either appear to be perfectly fine with the presence of the ghosts or are oblivious to them. Do you guys think the ghosts are only visible to the governess? Or are the children simply used to seeing the ghosts and thus don't mention them?
I agree with everyone on how confusing this book is. I find it interesting that "to turn the screw" means to create suspense, as this book does. Not only does each chapter leave the reader at some sort of cliffhanger, as Taylor said, but I feel that the author leaves a lot of details out of the plotline as the story opens up.
Just as Analu mentions, we discover that Miles has been kicked out of his school, but we do not know why he is kicked out except he has committed some horrible act.
There seems to be some kind of connection (other than their relationship) between the kids and the ghosts. The governess constantly comments on the children's beauty and how innocent they are. However, she does doubt their innocence, but her doubt disappears whenever she sees the children.
On the contrary, the governess has nothing but spite towards these ghosts, or at least their past beings. From what Mrs. Grose tells her, she draws that Jessel and Peter Quint are impure, and Quint was corrupting Miles. I think this ominous idea behind the ghosts is the true personality behind the children's innocent faces.
Perhaps a case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? I'm not quite sure.
To Taylor's comment about the governess saying the kids are able to see the ghosts but don't say anything. I think James is using this situation to expose a flaw in humans almost? The idea of jumping to conclusions, thinking the situation is worse than it truly is. Just as he left out the detail on why Miles was expelled from his school, he shows how the governess freaks out, coming up with ideas on the horrible things Miles could have done to be expelled.
I can't say I'm quite sure if the kids can see the ghosts, but there is nothing that justifies it to the governess, and thus her assumption has made her make more assumptions about the children.
Time to start round two....
I want to adress one of the most important passages we have read thus far in the book:
"'[Flora and Miles] haven't been good--they've only been absent. It has been easy to live with them because they're simply leading a life of their own. They're not mine--they're not ours. They're [Quint's] and they're [Miss Jessel's]!'" (ch. 12, pg. 171 for me)
This moment is an epiphany for the narrator, the governess and is in turn a major shift in the plot. No longer are Miles and Flora seen as angelic, lovable children in the eyes of the governess of Mrs. Grose. I thought the choice of using the word "absent" to describe the children's behavior was very haunting, and it suggested that the children were hollow in a sense, like the ghosts of Quint and Ms. Jessel are. They look as if they are real people; but they have no identity inside. The governess now suspects that the two ghosts are plotting to kill the children, and that the children have been communicating with Quint and Miss Jessel and are possessed somehow by them, causing them to lie and deceive the governess. By declaring that the children are not hers or Mrs. Grose's, the governess is giving up control over the children, and has surrendered her authority-figure status she once held over them.
I definitely agree with Taylor on the passage she mentioned being a turning point of sorts; before, she thought the children angelic and convinced that they could do no wrong. However, I cannot help but wonder in terms of the story (after all, it is a ghost story of sorts being told by Douglass) whether or not the governess is a reliable narrator.
Like someone (I believe it was Tainara) brought up in class today, we assumed that Jane Eyre was a reliable narrator, and that perhaps Grace Poole isn’t as crazy as she’s made out to be. The same can be applied in this case, of whether or not Flora and Miles are really as innocent as they first appeared to be, or if they’re as sinister as the governess makes them out to be. While there is some evidence to back her claims, since Miles was expelled from school, most of her ideas sound quite mad; she even acknowledges the potential madness when Mrs. Grose tells her to tell her boss, when she replies with an implied incredulous tone, “By writing to him that his house is poisoned and his little nephew and niece mad?” (Chapter 12, pg 48 for me). So do you think this governess is all that reliable of a narrator, and that perhaps she’s suffering a fate similar to the death of the last governess, which is still unknown (last I checked)?
I do not think this unnamed narrator can be trusted completely. Part of the reason we are reading this book for our psychology book club is because it is suspenseful, and dealing with different psychological states of mind. To me, it seems at this point in the novel the governess is creating the terror herself, making it completely psychological. The governess states herself when she sees one of the ghosts again that she isn't afraid of the ghosts themselves, but is growing paranoid about how the children are interacting with the ghosts. However, since the reader is meant to see the governess as a reliable narrator, suspense and terror is created, for we are supposed to believe her thoughts to be truthful and factual.
I'm still not quite sure if the governess is a reliable narrator. I think she is, because she shows both sides of Flora and Miles. She admits to be taken aback by their innocent, angelic faces, but she senses something evil about them. To what Ms. Clapp said at our earlier book club meeting, the kids are really starting to remind me of the typical creepy kids in scary movies.
The quote I think really emphasizes this creepiness is when the governess is talking to Miles, and he says, "'Think me-for a change-bad!'" (45). Although, the "bad thing" he did was leaving his room, the manner he said it, with "sweetness and gaiety", and gave the governess a kiss, gives the idea that he is hiding something awful by acting extremely sweet.
The story is definitely getting creepy at this stage, and the author Henry James hints at it by the governesses growing paranoia, as well as other hints.
In chapter 15, she sinks “down at the foot of the staircase-suddenly…with a revulsion, recalling that it was exactly where…I had seen the spectre of the most horrible women…straighten[ed] myself.” (56-57). To me, I see this as a foreshadowing of what’s to come, that in most likely events that the governess will find herself in the same situation as her predecessor; ill, most likely dead, and perhaps haunting the abode in years to come.
What do you guys think of Miles's and Flora's uncle being called to the house? Do you think it will make matters worse or better? I think the apprehension the governess and Mrs. Grose take in asking him for help is reflective of gender roles of the time, just as in Jane Eyre Jane is very submissive to Mr. Rochester. I'm not sure if this role is important to the story as a whole though, we can discuss it further tomorrow. And I also wanted to bring up Miles's newly found independence and wanting to be around men and going back to school. Is this a product of Quint's influence? Or a simply display of a maturity magnified by the narrator's constantly growing paranoia?
So far to what i have read which hasn't been far i sensed the same thought about the governess as an inrealible narrator. I think that she has been changing her mind a lot in the story. First she thinks one thing and is so determind like for example with the kids like they could do no wrong, and then now she is convinced that the kids have something evil in them. She doesn't even hide the fact that she really believes something wrong with them. I also feel like the role of the master is very questionable. I'm still fuzzy on whether how the master's effect on children is part of why they are so haunting.
Honestly, I’m looking forward to Mile’s and Flora’s uncle making an appearance to the home. He’s been this fearful, shadowy figure for so long that seeing his character dynamic will be interesting. You have to remember that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with the children and not to be bothered, which quite similar to Jane Eyre and how Mr. Rochester took on Adele primarily it seems, out of duty, rather than affection for the child. I can’t help but wonder if he’ll be indifferent to the supposed situation, or if he’ll even show up at all.
Mile’s newfound independence is somewhat confusing for me, personally. I hadn’t seen any hints or slow buildup of Mile’s growing independent, either that or I missed it (which wouldn’t surprise me; I still find the book rather confusing at times). I figured that the setup of having Miles potentially go back would be like, a temporary relief for the governess, and then she’d start hallucinating him to be there too when he’s not, or something. Thoughts?
There's definitely a shift in Miles's personality. Just as Malisa says, he all of a sudden wants to be independent. Another thing that I have noticed is that Miles seems to be patronizing the governess. He is starting to refer to her as "my dear", such as in chapter XIV, he says, "'Look here, my dear, you know,'" (my page 53). It is very strange to think of an eleven year old boy referring to his care taker as "dear".
I think the author does this to expose this kind of manipulative behavior of children. Children play off someone's emotions/feelings so that they get what they want. In this case, Miles seems to either belittle the governess in an attempt to appear superior to her, or Miles is trying to appear angelic to the governess so that she will send him back to school.
I agree with Taylor's comment on that this book deals with the different psychological state of minds. James seems to emphasize the governess's self-driven craziness by the difference between her actions and thoughts. One instant she thinks that Miles is a "naughty bad thing" (56), and then another instant she "throws herself upon him and in tenderness of her pity she embraces him," (62). I suppose this just shows the weakness a child can bring out in an adult?
Also, just to add to my comment above, do you guys notice that the governess hugs and kisses the children a lot? I don't know about you guys, but if my babysitter hugged and kissed me to that degree, I'd be kind of creeped out by her.
Ok, I know we can't use inappropriate language on the blogs, so with that said...what on earth happened at the end of Turn of the Screw?
I personally found Mile's death rather surprising; even though Miles had previously said that "if we're alone together now it's you that are alone most," (79) I was under the impression that this line was referring to Miles departure to another school sometimes soon. Instead, it turns out that Miles sudden and inexplicably dies at the very end of the chapter, as the very last sentence in fact.
With that said, anyone else find Mile's death rather unusual? Also, close to Mile's death, he exclaims "Peter Quint-you devil!" (85) which made me even more confused; I was under the impression that the governess was simply going crazy with paranoia, but with that exclamation it seems as if the ghosts may have been real after all, either that or Miles was delusional moments before his death. Thoughts?
I AM SO SHOCKED! Okay so Miles' death was insance. Well not insane but the whole thing happening. At first I expected the whole thing to happen because many times in the book it sort of forshadowed something deathly and very ghostly. What I found strange is that the ghosts take like a physical form and harm them. What has bothered me the most is the Governess. I feel like she wanted to prevent it all but she didn't try hard enough like she in a way was just waiting for it to happen. And even though she tried to protect the children she like didn't at the same time. Also wanted to comment on how she's so hesistent to talk about anything sexual in any way. Like does anyone think that she's a little paranoid when it comes to anything that might sound sexual derogative?
In regards to Analu's comment, I noticed as well that the Governess seemed to shy away from anything in regards to sexuality. Perhaps it's just me, but in regards to Mile's comment of saying things to boys "[he] liked" (83), it can generally be concluded that he didn't do anything negative such as lying, cheating, stealing, etc, so is it that big of a leap to think that maybe it was something along the lines of sexuality? Whether the context was homosexual or heterosexual is left unknown, but that's one of the few things I can think of that he might have been kicked out for.
In all honesty, I think that a large majority of the story is what the reader suspects of it themselves; what I read and speculate about could be vastly different from what someone else might interpret from the text. It's all about the reader's personality and frame of mind as they're reading it.
Yeah I felt the same way as I was reading this book. It takes lots of interpretation to and opinion based knowledge, like the governess for instance. Like i said before I think that the governess really shy's away from all that sexual talk but at the same time I felt like she was edging to hear about it. Like with Flora and her relationship, she seems to be disgausted at first but then also seems to be interested but doesn't really want to admit to herself. I think that she also has a lot of personal conflict with herself. It's hard to really understand her character I felt because she usually changes the way she is I felt. I also wanted to ask if you guys think that the ghosts are influencing the children? I wasn't quiet sure if that made much sense at first but then I felt like it was happening a lot as the book progressed.
In response to Malisa's question on how Miles dies, I was also very confused upon reading, and I think Henry James intended the reader to be confused, and to be left guessing about the how the boy dies.
I have thought of three theories: since the governess embraces him so often in that last chapter, perhaps she suffocated him in her state of terror and paranoia? Or perhaps he saw Peter Quince and the shock killed him, or he just had some unknown medical condition.
There is A LOT of ambiguity throughout the novel: between characters conversing, and information James gives the reader. Even though at the end Miles exclaims: "Peter Quint-you devil!" (85), I'm not so sure he sees the ghost. Miles is aware the nurse has seen the ghost, so he could be exclaiming this simply for that reason, not because he's seen the ghost himself.
Agreeing with previous blogs, I agree that when Miles says that he got expelled from school because of what he said to "[boys] he liked" (216), it is being hinted that what he said was of homosexual nature. However, I believe that James is unintentionally leaving this ambiguous to the reader, wanting them to decide on their own.
I think this also to relates to Miles burning the letter that he stole from the governess. Fire and burning are associated with the devil and hell, and throughout the novel Miles has a transition corresponding to this. At first, the governess thinks of him as angelic, but with all the supernatural happenings her opinion of him changes. While his status is lowered in this way, his supposed homosexuality could have supported it. At that time when this story was written, homosexuality was considered a sin, and was definitely not as socially acceptable as it is now. Miles burning the letter could symbolize devilish qualities he possesses, contrasting from the governess's first impression of him.
To what Taylor mentioned earlier, I had thought that perhaps Miles could have died from the Governess suffocating him. I believe it was Angela who earlier mentioned that she had this habit of hugging and kissing them a lot more than what would typically be expected of from a governess.
As for Mile’s burning the governesses’ letter, to be honest I had forgotten about that part; I simply thought he just took it and left it somewhere. As Taylor mentioned, he seemed to have made a slow descent from an angelic form to one closer to a devil in a sense; sweet and innocent looking, only to have the possibility of homosexuality looming over his head. By burning the letter, in a sense he’s instilling the evil in him into the governess, or rather, the madness that is clearly (or perhaps not so clearly) taking over her mind.
One question I have though, is regarding Flora. What is she supposed to represent, if anything, and do you think she played a role, especially in her leaving?
Did anyone else besides me notice a very masculine transition in Miles throughout the book? It seems to me beginning with when they went to church, Miles attempted to act as if he were the master of the house, rather than a little boy. I got this notion from his attitude when conversing with the governess. In addition to ambiguity, he seemed to talk to her in a condescending manner, having to do with him being a boy.
Aha! Just had a revelation, taking this blog in a different direction than I intended :]
Formerly, I thought this was reflective of traditional male/female roles at the time, and he was trying to fill in the shoes of his uncle, but now, after finishing the book, I see differently. Could it be that this change in manner comes from his homosexuality? Is changing his attitude in an attempt to hide it from the governess or compensate for it unconsciously? What do you guys think?
I agree with Taylor and Malisa when they talked about the governess suffocating Miles in a way. She was always hugging him and treating him differently than the other child. I think that with that she felt safer in a way, like she could protect something to make herself feel better. I also thought that with this suffocation it also really brought out that she was afraid of something, something bigger than her and the children. Like we said in the past she never understood why Miles was given the name of being bad. I felt that she was always trying to protect him, like shelter him from anything that was going on.
In response to Taylor's question I really did think that his way of acting condescending changed throughout the book and turning into a man and hiding his thoughts and being this role of the male household was an act. I felt that his character really portrayed a childish one, but as I read I felt like he was hiding something. This is really hard to interpret really. I'm sorta stumped. =)
Wow. If anyone was going to die, honestly thought it would be the governess. The fact that Miles dies in a hug from the governess seems to symbolize how she suffocates the children, especially Miles. The fact that she told Mrs. Grose to take Flora away, so that she could deal with Miles. Rather than leaving Miles alone to his own business, she like invades his space. She "decrees that her meals with the boy should be served...I had been awaiting him in the ponderous pomp of the room outside the window..." (77).
Even our cover shows the governess "suffocating" a boy, probably Miles. She is clinging onto him while he is trying to escape her hug.
Relating The Turn of the Screw to what we have been talking about in Jane Eyre, the male characters always try to overpower the heroine. I think Mile's condescending tone towards the governess has to do with his environment, where he is surrounded by females: the governess, Flora, Mrs. Grose. Also, as the governess suffocates him by trying to almost control what he does, the more he acts powerful. Miles seems to have suddenly become condescending because the governess's increasing craziness, which is driving her to take greater care of the children, where as Flora is his "baby" sister, and Mrs. Grose is much like an airhead.
To Taylor, I did not really notice that he could be gay. But I could see how Miles's new attitude is to cover up this tidbit.
As everyone has said, Miles starts off as innocent and angelic-like. However, he turns more evil and demonic with the burning of the note. I think that his death in the end is significant about the relationship between a child and this sense of corruption. It seems like the more the governess wants to baby him, with her hugs and kisses, the more he wants to act mature and condescending. As a result, Miles becomes corrupted to gain that sense of maturity. James seems to say that this corruption will eat a child up and led to his or her downfall.
To Malisa, I think Flora actually represents Miles's innocence. Although she did act a bit shady, she really did not do anything like Miles, left the mansion at night or talk down to the governess. Once she left, it was like all the innocence left from Miles, leading him to burn the note and his death by the consumption of corruption.
Script chapters 13-18
Governess: (starting to grow paranoid, speaks to audience) I know that the children know that I know about those wretched ghosts! I know, I’ll beat around the bush until the subject comes up! (babbles to Miles and Flora about her past, voice speeds up and gets higher in pitch until she laughs awkwardly. An awkward silence follows)
Flora: Right…so when is our uncle coming to visit?
Miles: Like, seriously. We haven’t seen him in forever. Whatever, let’s go to church.
(Characters walk in place, pretending to go to church)
Miles: Oh my god, when am I going back to school? I need some men in my life, there’s too much estrogen around here. I’m gonna write to my uncle about this.
Governess: (hugs Miles tightly and he starts coughing) Oh my darling! We’ll get in touch with him right away! (pinches his cheeks) Don’t you fret! We could get you back in school if you tell me why you got expelled. (Miles is ignoring her)
Miles: Did you say something?
----Back at the house---
(The governess sees Miss Jessel sitting with her head in her hands)
Governess: (exaggerated gasp) My children need my protection! (superhero pose) I must stay here at Bly! (starts writing a letter) Dear Mr. Handsome…okay, time for a break! Oh Miles! (goes to his room, gives him a hug and pinches his cheek)
Miles: Listen lady, you are raising me really, really…”queer.”
Governess: (awkward forced laugh) Oh…whatever do you mean?
Miles: Oh, you know. Listen biddie, I want my uncle here, or I’m peacing out.
Governess: (squeezes him tightly again) Of course Miles! Anything for you!
Miles: Ick…whatever…be gone.
(the lights go out, Miles shrieks, and the lights turn back on)
Miles: Hahahah, jk, I did it.
Governess: Okay then…but wait, where is your sister? Where has Flora been all this time?
Miles: However should I know? (evil laugh)
(Governess looks for Flora)
Governess: She must be with Miss Jessel…and…now that I left Miles alone, I bet he'll be with Quint! That little rascal, he tricked me! (puts letter on table to be mailed.)
Chapters 6-12 (feel free to edit in any way if it's too long)
Governess: [hysteric] They KNOW!
Mrs. Grose: [Confused] What are you talking about?
Governess: They know! Flora SAW.
Mrs. Grose: [Amazed] Flora told you she saw the ghost of Peter Quint?
Governess: Psh, no. That’s the beauty of it; she doesn’t know that I know that she knows.
Mrs. Grose: [Pause] So how do you know what she knows if… [Trails off in confusion]
Governess: Simple, I was there. Flora was perfectly aware of her
Mrs. Grose: Don’t you mean aware of him?
Governess: No, I mean of her. It was Miss Jessel this time, pale and dressed in black. We were out on the lake, and BAM, she comes out of nowhere. Clearly, she must be evil.
Mrs. Grose: [shocked] Are you sure?
Governess: Ask Flora, she’s sure! Wait, don’t ask her, she’ll do nothing but lie!
Mrs. Grose: Flora’s just a child, she’s innocent, she wouldn’t lie. Tell me exactly what you saw, maybe you were mistaken.
Governess: What don’t you understand? Flora saw her, I saw her seeing her, Miss Jessel saw Flora, I saw Miss Jessel, and if you ask Flora then all she will do is lie and say she didn’t see her when she clearly did! Do you know anything about Miss Jessel and Quint?
Mrs. Grose: Well, all I know is that she went at it with Quint.
Governess: Scandalous! What did she die of anyways?
Mrs. Grose: I don’t know; I never knew, and I never wanted to know. She had to leave though; imagine what would have happened, a Governess with a mere ___
Governess: This is awful! I can’t save them! They’re lost! [Sobs]
Mrs. Grose: Yes, Listen to yourself! You’re accusing Miles of telling outright lies, the same boy who you’ve called an angel time and time again! What are you going to tell the Master?
Governess: Don’t worry so much, I won’t say anything without evidence.
[Days later]
Governess: [fiercly hugging both Flora and Miles] Oh children, feel free to tell me anything you want, if you want a snack, if you want a hug, if you’ve seen any-evil-spirits-who’ve-come-back-from-the-dead-to-haunt-us, anything!
Flora: Oh, we will!
Miles: Yeah, we’ll do anything for you!
[Later in the night]
Governess: [Reading, she becomes distracted, and rises from bed and goes to the top of the staircase. Her candle going out, she sees Quint at the top, and they have a stare-down. Quint later disappears, and the Governess returns to her room]
Governess: [confused] Where the hell did Flora go?
Flora: [appearing behind the curtain] Here I am! The real question is, where were you?
Governess: [flustered] Oh, well I was looking for…hey, wait a minute, I’m in charge here. What were you doing out of bed?
Flora: I heard you leave, and then I thought someone was walking outside, but no one was there.
Governess: [to audience] I bet she’s lying… [to Flora] Why are the bed curtains drawn?
Flora: I didn’t want to scare you, since you could have came back any moment.
[Flora goes back to bed, and Governess goes through a flashback of sorts]
Governess: [to audience] I stay up late most nights now. One time, at night, I saw Miss Jessel with her head in her hands at the bottom of the stairs, but she disappeared right after. Another time, I went to sleep then my candle went out. I bet you anything that Flora did it, and with that evidence, it’s obvious: Flora is clearly secretly communicating with Miss Jessel by means of evil voo doo. [Getting distracted] Hey, is that Miles on the lawn?
[The Governess goes outside, and Miles skips to her]
Governess: What are you doing out here Miles?
Miles: Well, I wanted you to see that I could be naughty! I made Flora disturb you, in hopes that you’d find me, and you fell for it! I came down at midnight, and let me tell you: when I’m bad, boy am I bad!
[the next morning]
Governess: I’m telling you, last night Miles said he wanted to show me he could be naughty, and boy is he naughty! I’m telling you, they’ve made a pact with evil and are communing with the undead!
Mrs. Grose: Now I don’t think…
Governess: In fact, I bet you that they’re not even Miles and Flora anymore! They’ve been possessed by Quint and Miss Jessel, and they want them to destroy us, and keep up their diabolical plots.
Mrs. Grose: Well, if you think this, then maybe we should write to the master, and tell him to take the children away.
Governess: Don’t be ridiculous, he’ll think I’m crazy; as if the idea that the two children weren’t possessed by the dead workers of this place is crazy!
Mrs. Grose: Well, then maybe we could get the master to come here and…
Governess: Don’t you dare call him! I’ll leave if you get him to come; imagine his face and amusement, thinking I’m a lonely wretch looking for a warm bed to crawl into. Psh!
Mrs. Grose – Have you written that blasted letter, dear?
The governess – Why, yes, yes I have. (touches envelope in back pocket, where Mrs. Grose can’t see). HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE. (walks around, Miles enters the room)
Miles – Ummmm, so bored. Want me to play the piano, ‘cause I like rock?
The governess – Oh of course, you sweet little thing. But where is Flora?
Miles - Not my problem. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.
The governess – *gasp* (runs around the room) Flora!? Flora!! Oh no she must be with that wicked Jessel!
Mrs. Grose - Ahh, where’d Miles go?
The governess - He must be with Quint! OH NOEZ, let’s go to the lake! (leaves envelope on table, more running)
(the governess enters the lake, Flora is laying down make grass angels)
The governess – Flora!
Flora – Ayo sup? (Miss Jessel appears)
The governess – (shakes Mrs. Grose) AHHHHH GHOSTY!
(Flora makes an ugly face) WAHHHH (runs away)
The governess – She’s possessed! We’re doomed! *sigh* Let’s go back. (walks back home)
(Next day) (The governess is sleeping, snoring, saying “Oh sir, you’re so funny”, Mrs. Grose pecks at the governess to wake up)
Mrs. Grose – ‘Ello? Wake up you! Flora’s ill!
(the governess wakes up) The governess – OH NOEZ! We must save her. She must leave! Where’s my letter to her uncle?
Mrs. Grose – I think Miles took it.
The governess – Oh no he didn’t. It’s on. Take Flora and leave this place. (takes Mrs. Grose of hand and tosses it)
(Later that night) (The governess is eating dinner with Miles)
The governess – So. . . .
Miles – So. . . ?
The governess – You know that thing?
Miles – What thing?
The governess – That thing that
concerns you.
Miles – What are you talking about?
The governess – You know
Miles – No. . .what?
(the governess spots the ghost) the governess - AHHH QUINT! (hugs Miles)
Miles – AH! OKAY OKAY I TOOK YOUR LETTER, AND I GOT KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE I SAY NAUGHTY THINGS!
The governess – Oh Miles! (hugs Miles, smushing his head against giant bosom, suffocating him until he faints)
Sorry guys posting so late. Just got home.
So mine isn't that great.:-(
Governess:
I remember it like it was yesterday "Driving that hour, on a lovely day", on summers sweetness. Reaching the house I was introduced to the most beautiful little girl. I could hardly sleep that night I was so excited.
(The following day)
I recieved a letter, Miles should never go back to his school?
Mrs. Grose: Expelled!!!!
Governess: But why? What was his fault?
Mrs. Grose:
It does not say. Why are you afraid of dealing with naughty little kids? Are you afraid? ARE YOU??
Governess:
Of coarse not. (sighs with a hint of despair) I shall do my job and protect the innocent ones.
How could such a wonderful child be expelled. I do not understand, he's so amazing. (sighs)
(A week later ish)
Governess:
As I was walking along the house for a casual walk, there I came upon a face in the house and then THERE! I saw him and man standing in the tower, a strange man. I had never seen him around the house before in my life. It was crazy.
(looks at Mrs. Grose)
Mrs. Grose:
What is wrong with you? You look white as ghost?
Governess:
DO I?? MAYBE ITS BECAUSE THERES A CREEPY OLD MAN UP THERE!!!
But wow is my skin really that pale?
Mrs. Grose:
What is the matter with you?
Governess:
Oh it is dreadful, oh so terrible. There was an extraordinary man there yonder! IT was up there in the old tower. You must believe me.
Mrs. Grose:
Are you sure you saw a man up there? Can you describe me to him? Was he a gentleman?
Governess:
He was a mine tall and had a companions face.
Mrs. Grose:
Oh my that must have been Peter Quince!
Governess:
YES HE MUST HAVE BEEN HE!
Mrs. Grose:
Your nuts! My dear child that man is dead. All this air has gone to your head.
Governess:
DEAD???? (shrieks)
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