Turn of the Screw
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The Turn of the Screw
Was The Turn of the Screw a ghost story, or was it really a story about sexual frustrations? There have been many debates on this subject, including anywhere from 300 to 400 books and references on this topic. There is evidence to support both sides of this debate, yet it seems to be more evident that there was a deeper meaning behind the plot of this story. Some of the circumstances the governess faces have connotations which imply behaviors such as homosexuality and sexual repression. In the story, Henry James relates his characters to himself, and people who contributed to his life. There are also many events that occur in this story that can be interpreted in a sexual way, yet the governess's desire for her employer causes most of her sexual frustrations.
One of the many reasons why this story may be implying homosexuality or sexual repression would be the characters Henry James chose to portray. In The Turn of the Screw, Henry James does not say things outright because this book was published during the Victorian Age, in which subjects such as a governess falling in love with her children and homosexuality where taboo to discuss in a book. "Henry James was said to be a homosexual, and his characters are most likely representing major figures in his life: Miles as his adolescent self, usually a loner separated from both peers and masculine company; Mrs. Grose as Aunt Kate; Flora as his recently deceased lesbian sister, and especially Quint as his brother William, in whose extremely masculine presence Henry regarded himself as virtually a female (Norton)...