Concetti Chiave
- The story revolves around a young governess employed to care for two orphan children, Flora and Miles, by their wealthy uncle.
- The governess is captivated by the children's uncle, a bachelor, and experiences romantic fantasies about him during her solitary walks.
- She encounters unsettling apparitions, first of a mysterious man on a tower and later of the deceased former governess, Miss Jessel, by the lake.
- Despite seeing the apparition, Flora remains unfazed, leading the governess to suspect that the child is pretending not to notice.
- The governess pressures Miles to confess why he was expelled, leading to a tense moment where she sees the man’s apparition again, ending in Miles's tragic death.
The story is about a young girl who is employed as a governess to two orphan children by their rich uncle.
The Young Governess and the Children
The man is described as “a gentleman, a bachelor in the prime of life”, and the “young, untried, nervous girl” is immediately attracted to him. The two children, Flora and Miles, are absolutely charming, and the young governess is delighted wih them, but soon she learns that little Miles has been expelled from school from mysterious reasons, which are not mentioned.
She likes walking in the grounds, and during her solitary walks she indulges in romantic fantasies about the man who has impressed her so much and is always in her thoughts. One day, while she is fancying how charming it would be if he appeared at the turn of a path and smiled at her, she sees a man at the very top of one of the two towers of the house. She is shocked, and for a moment she thinks that her imaginings have become reality. Then she realizes that the man is not the children’s fascinating uncle; at that very moment there is a strange in nature; the sounds are hushed, as if everything was “stricken with death”.
After some time, there is a second apparition, and another day, while the governess is by the edge of the lake with Flora, she “sees” Miss Jessel – the children’s previous governess - who is dead. With “wonder and terror” she waits for Flora’s reaction, but the child gives no sign of alarm and continues to play peacefully. The governess is certain that Flora has seen the apparition but pretends she has not.
Miles's Confession
More The governess does not give up. If she cannot obtain an admission from Flora, she will try to get Miles to confess to why he was expelled from school, and the little boy admits that he “said things”. The woman presses him more firmly; and the cross-examination becomes a form of psychological torte for the boy. It is at this dramatic moment that she again sees the apparition of the mysterious man at the window. The governess clutches Miles in a desperate attempt to defend him, but discovers that the child’s heart has stopped.
Domande da interrogazione
- What mysterious events does the young governess experience during her time with the children?
- How does the governess react to the apparitions she encounters?
- What is revealed about Miles's expulsion from school, and how does it relate to the story's climax?
The governess experiences several mysterious events, including seeing apparitions of a man on the tower and Miss Jessel, the previous governess, by the lake. These sightings are accompanied by strange changes in nature, such as hushed sounds, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
The governess is shocked and filled with "wonder and terror" upon seeing the apparitions. She is convinced that Flora has also seen Miss Jessel's ghost but is pretending otherwise, and she becomes determined to uncover the truth behind these supernatural occurrences.
Miles confesses that he was expelled for saying inappropriate things, but the governess's intense questioning becomes a psychological ordeal for him. The story reaches a dramatic climax when, during a confrontation, the governess sees the apparition of the mysterious man again, and Miles tragically dies in her arms.
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