How Is Tension Created in Turn of the Screw?

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How does James create suspense in ‘Turn of the Screw’? James immediately opens the novel with suspense through the gothic setting and events of the prologue, all of which are typical of a Victorian novel. As the actual story that Douglas wants to tell is not said in this chapter, the author is made to wait and therefore tension is built as the gothic atmosphere is set before the story is told. In the prologue, we discover the tale is ‘written. It’s in a locked drawer.’ The fact that it is ‘written’ suggests that it is personal and therefore adds to the mystery that it is untold and holds secrets. In addition, it is in a ‘locked drawer’ which furthermore sustains the tension, connoting that the tale has been intentionally locked away for a specific reason to which is unknown to the reader. The typically Victorian gothic setting is significant to how James presents tension in the prologue. The men are telling ‘ghost stories’ in an ‘old house’. The idea of the ‘old house’ communicates that where they are contains many secrets and hidden past events unknown to them. In addition, this occasion takes place on ‘Christmas Eve’ which is usually thought to have positive connotations. However, the description of the setting is made to give the impression that the joyful event of Christmas Eve is now a pessimistic atmosphere, therefore adding to the suspense as it is an unusual situation. Tension is created in chapter one as the authors description of Bly is fairly contradictory. This makes us question if the house is a castle of fairy tale and magic, or a castle of hidden secrets and mystery. For example, James uses positive imagery of the natural world such as the ‘golden sky’ and ‘bright flowers’. The premodifying adjectives ‘golden’ and ‘bright’ connote that the house is almost heaven-like and perfect. This is typical as the novella is set in the Victorian era in which
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