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.