Jane K. Marshall
The Turn Of the Screw
is a difficult story for students to read on their own. Indeed, many adults find James’ use of language convoluted or, at the very least, involved. As this unit is geared to the nonreader, it would be absurd for me to assume that students would or could plow through the book in the usual way. This final section of the unit, then, is dependent on a commercially prepared cassette version of the story marketed by The Jabberwocky Company of San Francisco.
This taped version of
The Turn of the Screw
is excellent, in my opinion. It includes suitable mood music and sound effects. The readers are professionals who manage to delineate character and plot in an interesting manner. The version does not favor one interpretation of the story. Rather, it encourages students to see the worth of a work that consciously employs ambiguity.
The student is provided with a “read-a-long” script. The teacher is equipped with discussion questions for each section of the “play”, language and vocabulary exercises, and ideas for debate exercises involving the two major interpretations of the story. Teachers who may wish to use this unit will be provided with the pertinent materials and/or the information necessary to procure such materials. With much of the basic material provided by Jabberwocky, this teacher has the time (and space) to develop additional and, perhaps, less conventional plans for students.
As I mentioned earlier, this section of the unit attempts to engage students in analysis and in personal interpretation. I have many times tried to lead class discussions which called for varying interpretations of particular works. All too often, having “covered all bases”, I thought, the final query of at least one student would be: “Ok, but what does it really mean? What is the right answer?” Such a question, to say the least, is disheartening. Though the student must learn that interpretation should be based on the text itself (A wild or unsubstantiated view may result in missing the point.), he must at the same time, be encouraged to find something for himself. If the student does not make a personal connection on some level, the reading experience is, to a great degree, meaningless.
The following are “warm-up” exercises which are designed to introduce the concepts of analysis and interpretation to students. The first exercise stresses observation of detail as a necessary component of analysis. Varying interpretations are expected; there is no one “correct” answer.
Exercise #1
Students are briefly shown a drawing in which a person is exhibiting a particular emotion. (Example: baby crying.) They are asked to tell why this emotion is being expressed. As promised, there are many possible answers. (The picture would depict: open diaper pin, dropped toy, mother leaving the room, dog barking, etc.) Missed clues would be pointed out by the teacher, if necessary.
Exercise #2
The second exercise is a more sophisticated version of the first. Students are given comic strips minus the filled in bubbles. They are asked to consider the various frames, and then write appropriate dialogue. Differing versions would be shared in class. Students might also explain how they came by their interpretations.
Analysis and interpretation are connected with one’s frame of reference (or life experiences). The following exercise serves to promote differences of interpretation and hints at reasons for these differences, as well.
Exercise #3
Students are shown various abstract nonrepresentational works of art. They are asked to react to each work. (What is the artist trying to depict?) They must also give reasons or substantiate, in some way, their interpretations. (“What does the painting remind you of?” might be the appropriate question to ask students.) Presumably associations will be various. Reasons for differences might then be discussed. Reasons might include differing interests as well as differing life experiences.
Final Assignment: The Turn of the Screw
As mentioned earlier, the discussion questions provided by Jabberwocky hint at (and do not preclude) various interpretations of the story. Once the teacher feels that sufficient discussion has taken place (Students understand the plot and are beginning to come to terms with the meaning of the story.), shortened sentence versions of the various critics’ views may be given to students. The teacher should ask each student to read all interpretations and choose the one that seems “right” to him. The final student project would involve an analysis of
The Turn of the Screw
. Students would be asked to substantiate their positions with evidence from the story.