Governess
The protagonist and narrator, a young woman hired to care for two children at Bly.
Core Belief
"Goodness and innocence are fragile and must be actively protected from corruption. She believes in the power of her own will to safeguard the children."
Worldview
She sees the world as a battleground between good and evil, where hidden forces constantly threaten the innocent. Her isolated position at Bly amplifies her sense of vulnerability and reinforces her belief in the supernatural.
Personality
Intelligent, imaginative, and highly strung, she is prone to anxiety and develops an obsessive belief in the presence of malevolent spirits. Her motivations are complex, driven by a desire to please her employer, a genuine affection for the children, and perhaps a touch of romantic fantasy.
In Their Own Words
"I remember the whole beginning as a succession of flights and drops, a little seesaw of the right throbs and the wrong."
"To watch, teach, “form” little Flora would too evidently be the making of a happy and useful life."
"I was a screen—I was to stand before them. The more I saw, the less they would."
Discussions with Governess
Other Characters from The Turn of the Screw
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