Turn Of The Screw Ghost Essay

In the book Turn of the Screw we see many interactions between spirits and humans. The Governess is the main character in the book who sees the apparitions. The introduction of these spirits into the lives of the children in the book brings about many changes. These changes for the most part had a negative impact on the children. Many people view these ghosts as demons due to their negative impacts on the children. The three most harmful consequences from the phantom's presence was Miles’s expulsion from school, Flora’s pond incident, and Miles’s death.
Miles’ was probably the character who was most impacted by the ghost’s existence. This is most evident in the strange and questionably negative behavior that Miles exhibits while discussing his expulsion from school with the governess. The conversation with the governess begins with Miles attempting to recall the events that lead up to his expulsion as “He looked in vague pain all round the top of the room and drew his breath, two or three

times over, as if with difficulty. He might have been standing at the bottom of a sea and raising his eyes to some faint green twilight.” (James 105). Demonic possession has been known to cause its victims brief lapse of memory during the time of the possession. Knowing that he looked as if he had no recollection of what exactly he did to get suspended. So maybe he was possessed at the time he committed the offense that got him expelled.
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Miles was often times, the instigator, at least when he was possessed by Quint.

He stole the letter that the governess wrote and he burned it. He was also outside in the yard past his curfew. All of this was most likely the ghost of Quint acting through him. In the book, Miles does die and this is shown by the statement, “... his little heart, dispossessed, had stopped.” (James 107). Now this could mean many things but one of the things many people believe is that the ghost of, Peter Quint, had killed Miles. One of the theories of why Miles was killed by Quint was because Quint was angry. He couldn’t carry out whatever sinister plot he was planning without Miss Jessel’s help. This lead to Peter taking Miles’ life and this gives evidence to the ghost of Peter quint being a vengeful spirit. This would then lead to a conclusion that Peter Quint is, in fact, a demon as he killed Miles and has a taste for revenge. Both are traits or qualities that demons are commonly known

for.
In the book, the character Flora and Miss Jessel have a similar relationship as Miles and Peter Quint. Flora ,just as Miles, was used like a tool to carry out the bidding of one of the ghosts. Flora was heard screaming as if she was in pain or scared. The governess went to find her and when she did she saw her sitting by the pond terrified. “Miss Jessel stood before us on the opposite bank exactly as she had stood the other time….” (James 86). Miss Jessel could have possessed Flora and walked her out to the pond. So she could lure in the governess to try and get rid of her.
The evidence presented develops a strong argument for the interpretation that the ghosts in the book are indeed demons. Only a demon would be hateful enough to take someone’s

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life. Only a demon would cause a child to be expelled from school. Only a demon would use a child to try to carry out their evil actions or intentions. All arrows point to the ghost being evil entities with a malicious intent.