The Turn of the Screw Lesson Plan

Innocent Cherubs or Demon Kids?

Kind of Activity:

Creative Writing

Objective:

Discuss different interpretations of Miles' and Flora's characters and motivations.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4

Structure:

Consider the different ways in which the governess describes Miles and Flora. At first, she sees them both as perfect and purely, wholly good. She waxes poetic about their physical beauty, their intelligence, their innocence and their manners. Your students have almost certainly noticed this, and many may feel that it's overbearing, uncomfortable and even creepy! The governess idealizes the children to an extreme...