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Corruption In 'Turn Of The Screw' By Henry James

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In his book Turn of the Screw, Henry James shows that an inattentive upper class is blinded by their own prejudice towards the lower class causes a chain of corruption.

Quint corrupts Jessel, who then becomes a social outcast and it is implied that she loses her baby while Quint remains unaffected. Quint is the person with the lowest status in the novel and he succeeds in creating Jessel a social outcast and causing much suffering. Jessel was a “lady,” while Quint was “dreadfully below,” in terms of class. Jessel did not realize Quint’s motive to use her as a puppet, consequently she “didn’t forbid him.” Quint had an infinite amount of time to corrupt Jessel, “she spent hours with him.” Quint was not an innocent lower class man, he was insinuating …show more content…
Flora is described in the beginning as “angelic” and a “great childish light,” it as if she is a divine angel. Flora also starts out as a very submissive character and she felt it was “necessary that she should follow [the governess].” Jessel, like Quint had a limitless amount of time to influence and adulterate Flora’s purity. Grose reports to the governess that while Miles was with Quint “Miss Flora was with [Jessel]”. Once Jessel had been around Flora, it was inevitable that Flora would change for the worse. Flora becomes rebellious as she rows out to an island, purposely not informing the Governess about her little “adventure.” The governess sees a pair of oars “safely drawn up” along the shore of the island which indicates that Flora gained the strength to row across the water. It is implausible that Flora, an eight year old girl would have the muscle to get to the island without some help. This shows that Jessel had a hand in escorting Flora to the shore, which shows that (flora behavior change…)…. After the island event, Flora felt “feverish,” and her actions seemed to become sexual. The governess says that Flora “girded her loins,” which shows Flora in an erotic light. Jessel causes Flora to lose her purity, proving that the inferior class has a parasitic effect on the upper

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