THE EFFECTS OF GOVERNESS’ HALLUCINATION IN HENRY JAMES’ THE TURN OF THE SCREW

Abstract

Hallucination is a false or mistaken perception of objects or events with a compelling sense of their reality. In this thesis, hallucination refers to the seeing of objects (ghosts) that are not actually present. The ghost is just the governess’ imagination. People who experience it cannot distinguish between reality and imagination. Hallucination has a negative meaning because it usually happens to people who are imaginative and it has bad effects for those who experience it. This thesis analysis the effects of governess’ hallucination of the novella written by Henry James, The Turn of the Screw. The governess is a naive young lady, lives with two pupils and a servant. Some factors cause her to create hallucination of ghosts. To avoid the complex discussion, this thesis is limited on causes and effects of governess’ hallucination. The approach used in this thesis is psychological approach. Governess’ characters, the master whom she loves much but never notice her, and the atmosphere of the house are factors that cause hallucination. She imagines anything that she sees and thinks that she lives on a Castile with her prince like in the novel she has read and never thinks the effects of her action. She presses two pupils to reach her goal to get her master’s sympathy, but her hallucination causes damaged for the two children and herself. Instead, her pressure to the children makes them get a serious illness and even death. Actually, she gets nothing from her action. One of the children, Flora becomes sick. She leaves the governess and don’t want to speak to her, and Miles dies. Instead, the master never comes down to communicate with her or sends any letter.