CHARACTERIZATION
Who is The Governess?
Henry James is not ambiguous about how Quint died, he drunkedly fell into a piece of ice on his way home from a bar; however, James neglects to tell us exactly how this person died, only insinuating lightly that it was from childbirth or suicide.
Who is Miss Jessel?
What is a frame narrative?
These are the two possible theories that analysists debate regarding the end of the novel.
What is Miles died from demon possession or fright or Miles died because he was smothered by the governess?
On her first night at Bly, the governess is too excited to sleep and gives this as a reason for her restlessness.
What is lying awake prevented from sleep as she hears a child cry and footsteps outside her door?
Mike and Flora's uncle establishes his guardianship of the siblings reluctantly following their parents' deaths in this place.
What is India?
Miles explains why he was outside at such a late hour by offering this reason.
What is to prove to the governess that he could be bad?
This function of this form of narration is to establish a personal connection between the narrator and the reader.
What is 1st person narration?
The Governess refuses to contact the children's uncle (the man on Harley Street) because she doesn't want him to think she is incapable of the task or that she wants to attract his attention. Moreover, she tells Mrs. Grose that if she attempts to contact him, the governess will do this.
What is leave Bly, her, and the children forever?
After Mrs. Grose loses her faith in the governess, and Flora refuses to be around her, the governess makes this request of Mrs. Grose.
What is that she takes Flora to her uncle on Harley street? And that she keep Flora and Miles apart so they cannot communicate with one another.
Mrs. Grose asks the governess a number of questions concerning the spectres' intentions with the children. The governess answers that the ghosts are trying to get a hold of the children for this purpose.
What is "to corrupt them"?
When the governess's candle is suddenly blown out, Miles claims he is the one who did it. This is the reason why that answer is suspicious.
What is that the governess put the candle far away and he had not left his bed the whole time?
Henry James has created an elaborate narrative structure in TOTS, providing his novel with two first-person narrators: The governess who relates her experiences at Bly and this person.
Who is the narrator of the prologue?
The governess's description of Quint to Mrs. Grose leads to Mrs. Grose suggesting the spector the governess continues to see is Quint based on these details.
What is he wears no hat and clothes that are not his?
What is a friend who would do anything for him?
Mrs. Grose tries to convince Miles that he should not have a relationship with Quint based on this factor, and Miles, in a quite sophisticated way, turns the tables on Mrs. Gross calling her the same thing and saying that yet, he talks to her.
What is a base menial?
As the Governess and Flora sit by the lake, the governess suddenly sees, emerging from the weeds on the far side, an interested spectre. The governess is convinced that Flora is aware of the presence because of this behavior.
What is pretending that she hasn't seen and playing more intently at making a boat?
After seeing Quint three times, the Governess sees Miss Jessel in this place and in this position, which indicated to the governess she was a lost soul suffering the torments of the damned.
What is on the stairs with her body bowed and her head in her hands?
Miles doesn't accompany the governess to the lake when she and Flora go because he says he wants to stay behind and do this...which the Governess insinuates is a lie because his one fault is "occasional excess of the restless."
What is stay behind and read?
After Miles finally confesses to stealing the letter, he also confesses that he did this at school which got him expelled.
What is he did not take things but instead he "said things to those he liked" who them told those they liked?
When Mrs. Grose and the Governess are headed to lake to find Flora and after they find the boat missing, the Governess makes a comparison with Flora saying she is not a child, but a this.
What is "an old old woman"?
The quote, "I see nobody. I see nothing. I never have," quite possibly gives Flora away as being duplicitous because of this fact.
What is that the governess had never asked Flora if she has seen Miss Jessel on other occasions, and, in fact, had never even mentioned the previous governess's name until this moment?
A turning point and arguably the climax of the story, happens when the governess finally can stand it no longer and asks Flora this question.
What is "where, my pet, is Miss Jessel"?
Miles says that he doesn't want to go back to his old school, but instead a new school, because he wants "a new field" to which the governess believes this means he wants to do this.
What is corrupt others spreading the horrible contaminating seeds of evil he has learned from Quint?
Miles assumes the specter at the window is none other than this person.
Who is Miss Jessel?