83 pages 2 hours read

Henry James

The Turn of the Screw

Fiction | Novella | Adult | Published in 1898

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Exam Answer Key

Multiple Choice

1. B (Prologue)

2. D (Prologue)

3. B (Various chapters)

4. A (Various chapters)

5. C (Chapter 6)

6. D (Various chapters)

7. A (Various chapters)

8. D (Various chapters)

9. D (Various chapters)

10. A (Various chapters)

Long Answer

1. Both the governess’s story as well as the framed narrative are set in a large, traditional manor house in England. This setting is typical in Gothic literature. (All chapters)

2. The Turn of the Screw is written as a story within a story. The framed narrative is told from the perspective of Douglas, who, at a gathering with friends, decides to tell a story of a former governess. Many stories and layers remove the retelling of the incidents at Bly from the actual truth. Furthermore, the governess’s memoir is written in retrospect, which adds an extra layer of obscurity between what actually happened and how the reader receives it. (All chapters)

3. The phrase “turn of the screw” literally refers to making something tighter or more serious or dramatic. This refers to both the framing narrative as well as the governess’s story. (All chapters)