The Turn of the Screw, Chapter 16 summary
Chapter 16 of 25 · 4 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 16, the governess questions Mrs. Grose about the children’s silence and claims that Miss Jessel wants Flora to share her suffering. She decides to contact their uncle, but disagreement over Miles’s expulsion and responsibility for the children complicates what she should tell him.
What happens
- The governess feels unsettled when the children say nothing about her absence and seeks a private conversation with Mrs. Grose.
- Mrs. Grose explains that the children ask her to remain silent because they think the governess prefers it.
- The governess claims that Miss Jessel speaks of her suffering and wants Flora to share it.
- She announces her decision to summon the children’s uncle and raise the matter of Miles’s expulsion.
- Mrs. Grose disputes her assumptions about Miles and accepts blame for the presence of the people she condemns.
- After considering a message through the bailiff, Mrs. Grose asks the governess to write, and she agrees to do so tonight.
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In this chapter
What to notice
Mrs. Grose challenges the governess’s certainty about Miles’s expulsion. Her objection distinguishes what they know from what the governess assumes.
Quick check
Why does Mrs. Grose initially suggest involving the bailiff?
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