They are always set higher than anyone else: “a pair of little grandees, of princes of the blood” (James 25).

Another mentioning of this theme can be traced in the way the author describes the children. The young lady was not used to such reception. Upon arrival, the governess is met by “a civil person who dropped me as decent a curtsy as if I had been the mistress or a distinguished visitor” (James 12). The theme of class and society is represented in the depiction of relationships between the servants, the governess, and the children. Throughout the whole story, there are frequent remarks of ghosts that are seen by the governess and probably by the children. Later, the theme is emphasized by the governess’s mentioning of sinister sounds and visions: “the possible recurrence of a sound or two, less natural and not without, but within, that I had fancied I heard” (James 14). The latter theme is introduced as early as in the book’s prolog: “I quite agree – in regard to Griffin’s ghost, or whatever it was – that it’s appearing first to the little boy, at so tender an age, adds a particular touch” (James 3). There are several topics raised in the book: society and class, innocence, the fight between good and evil, repression, wisdom, gender, appearances, and, of course, the supernatural. Henry James’s “The Turn of the Screw” is a fantastic work of fiction well worth reading. The story covers several important themes, and its characters are diverse in their nature. Apart from numerous editions and translations, “The Turn of the Screw” was adapted for several movies and even an opera. The book is over one hundred years old, but it still interests the readers in many countries of the world. Although it is not lengthy, the narration is considered by critics as a model of intricate plot and child ghost story. Henry James’s book “The Turn of the Screw” is considered to be one of the brightest examples of suspense and ghost stories.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James