An Analysis of Suspense in Alias Grace and The Turn of the Screw
In the literary world, suspense is considered as the climax or the highest peak of the story. This element has the capability to keep or maintain the interest of the readers or audiences by heightening their eagerness to know what would happen next in the story. Thus, this element is vital in most literary works, as it creates a connection between the readers and the progress of events in the story, which the majority of writers or authors have never disregarded and ignored through the years and decades.
Through the novels entitled Alias Grace and The Turn of the Screw, which are written by two of the most well respected and multi-awarded authors namely Margaret Atwood and Henry James, this paper would provide for a comparative essay as to how the element of suspense is presented in the two novels. More so, this would provide for a comprehensive analysis on how Atwood and James have created and resolved the element of suspense in their respective novels. Likewise, the paper would proceed to discuss Atwoods and James methodology in presenting important information for their readers.
A Brief Introduction on Alias Grace
Alias Grace is a historical fiction novel written by Marget Atwood, a well known Canadian author, and was first published in the year 1996 by McClelland Stewart. This novel is regarded as Atwoods attempt in retelling the most famous 18th century story of Thomas Kinnears horrible murder and his housekeeper named Nancy Montgomery in the upper part of Canada, which have led to the execution of Kinnears servant, James McDermott and sentenced Grace Marks to life imprisonment.
The main focus of the story mainly tells the life and struggles of Grace Marks, the lead character in the novel and a real Canadian woman in the 19th Century, who have been accused and sentenced to stay behind cold bars for the murder of Kinnear and Montgomery. In the mid 1800s, the story of Grace Marks and the murders of Kinnear and Montgomery, are regarded as one of the most sensationalized stories.
Atwoods interest towards Graces story has been developed through the works of a fellow Canadian author named Susanna Moodie. However, during the time when Graces story has resurfaced in the late 19th Century and after several reviews and research, Atwood has noticed some significant discrepancies in Moodies and decided to go deeper into Graces story and create her own version. By far, Atwoods version of the said controversial 18th century story is better and more reasonable than that of Moodies work.
Suspense in Alias Grace
In a sense, Atwoods work on retelling the profound story of Grace is not just superb in a way that it renders a better narration or presentation of facts with regard to what has really happened in the murders and Graces real participation in the crime. Rather, Atwood has also created and utilized a sound element of suspense in retelling the highly intriguing story of Grace. In fact, Atwood has received numerous award nominations for Alias Grace, including an award from Canadian Giller Prize, Premio Modello, 1997 best fiction for Salon magazine and author of the year for Canadian Booksellers Association.
Definitely, Atwood has created and presented a sound element of suspense in her version of Graces story, which has allowed the imagination and critical thinking of the readers to work while reading her novel. Atwood has been very creative in presenting suspense throughout her narration of Graces story. Similar to that of Henry James approach, Atwood has used a lot of devices and ways, which would definitely keep the readers wanting and eager for more information that would satisfy their curiosity with regard to the novels main story.
Method of Introducing Suspense
Given that Grace Marks story is one of the most well told accounts in Canada, Atwood has created suspense in her version of the said story by using her imaginations through the addition of numerous fictional characters like Dr. Simon Jordan and Mrs. Humphrey. Dr. Simon Jordan, for instance, is used by Atwood to create suspense in her story in such a way that he provides variety in the story of Grace.
In a sense, the inclusion of Dr. Jordan, as one of the main characters in the story, creates suspense in Atwoods novel, as he also embodies another set of narrative apart from the well known tale of Grace. Throughout Atwoods novel, the story does not only run by resolving or figuring out the possible participation of Grace in the killings of her former employer and coworker. Rather, it strategically shifts from telling the role of Dr. Jordan in knowing the truth on Graces participation to the crime and the life of Dr. Jordan as an individual. Through this approach, Atwood creates suspense by making a disrupted continuity in the progress of events in her story, which mainly kept the readers busy trying to connect the broken pieces of the novel.
Through her ability to elude the aspect of predictability in writing a story, Atwood has created suspense in her novel by adding a bunch of surprises. One of the evident surprises Atwood has used is the first encounter of Dr. Simon Jordan and Grace Marks, wherein Grace screams and collapsed. This scene has indeed made a huge impact for the readers, more especially that Atwood did not tell anything about Graces fear with doctors and did not even tell why she reacted that way.
The aspect of fainting is also regarded as one of the surprises that Atwood used in creating suspense throughout the novel, wherein it has been presented in the story for several times. Atwood has presented a clear notion with regard to incidents of fainting from both Grace and Mrs. Humphrey, which have led to a broad curiosity among the readers that set the table for the puzzle between the connection of such incidents in the murders that Grace has been involved with.
More so, the narrative of illegal love affairs is also considered as one of Atwoods ways in creating suspense in her novel. Sexual desire and affair has been presented in the story as a well influential factor that has the ability to manipulate the mentality of main characters in the novel, more especially for Grace and Mcdermott. As presented in almost a constant manner, the aspect of forbidden affair from the characters in the novel has created a inquiry among readers on whether it has something to do with the whole essence of the story and the actual participation of Grace in the killings. Thus, this aspect makes the story more suspenseful and thrilling as the readers strive to find out whether sexual affair or feelings from the opposite sexes has something to do with the killings, which would later justify the role of Grace in the crime.
Moreover, Atwood created suspense in her novel by not allowing her readers to have a little sense of certainty with what would happen in the next events of the story. As for Atwoods novel, the main narrative is not presented in an orderly manner. The story jumps from one narration to another, which is broadly different and has no connections from each other. For instance, the interview of Dr. Jordan with Grace is presented in between gaps of other events like the narrative of Dr. Jordans affair with Mrs. Humphrey, which gives the readers a varied view and understanding regarding the link of each scene in the story.
Resolution of Suspense for Alias Grace
Towards the end, Atwoods novel does not present a well conclusive ending in Graces story, which would further explain her participation in the killings of Kinnear and Montgomery. Thus, as Dr. Jordan seems to be getting closes in having the answer in order to resolve the puzzle of the murders, it becomes more evident that Grace has psychological problems in remembering what she is saying. Likewise, this is evident when the governors wife called Grace by her name, she replied I am not Grace Grace knew nothing about it (Atwood). More so, Atwood did not resolve the suspense, which she created in the narrative of Dr. Jordan and his Mrs. Humphrey, which would explain what is his main intention in having an affair with her landlady. The ending of Atwoods novel left a huge room for the readers to create and link of their own conclusion with regard to Graces main story and the connections of each event or scene presented in the novel.
The Turn of the Screw
The Turn of the Screw is a short novel published in 1898 under the authorship of Henry James. The book is a ghost story filled with suspense from a particular point in the story up to the end. The novel contains the narrative of a person who is reading a story from a governess. The story of the governess revolves around two children, Miles and Flora, who are aware of the existence of ghosts in their house. Eventually, the governess finds herself in a quest to know the truth about the ghosts and to prevent the children from making any further contact with the ghosts. In the story, the ghosts are identified to be Miss Jessell and Peter Quint, who both died because of strange and unknown reasons. The children goes through a series of ghost encounters and the governess involves herself in these incidences. The story ends with the death of one of the children during an encounter with Quint. Nonetheless, the death did not signal the final resolution to the suspense created by the author but signals the resolution for some of the characters in the story.
Creation of Suspense
The structure of the story shows that the author is able to successful establish the existence of suspense at a certain point. In the beginning, the readers are presented with the image of another man being persuaded by a group of individuals to tell the story that can be found in the manuscript of the dead woman. The story is described to be painful, horrible, or simply frightening by those who are eager to listen to the mans story. At this point, there is not much that can occur but the curiosity over the story because of the great interest placed by the characters over listening to it.
In the actual story of the governess, the first few parts are intended for narrating the experience of emotions held by her as she is tasked to take care of two children who have lost their parents. The narrative goes well until the governess sees for herself the spirit of Peter Quint, which she immediately reported to Mrs. Grose. In their conversation, the author intended for the revelation to come at a later part as the character of Mrs. Grose made follow-up questions and inquired thoroughly about the characteristics of the man that the governess saw. After confirming that the person is indeed Quint, he shared her own knowledge about him and declared that he is indeed dead a long time ago. It even became more successful as the author used this phrase as his last words for the chapter where Quints appearance is first noted Yes. Mr. Quint is dead (James 33). The choice of words and timing all contributed to making the last few words significant for the readers. As can be noticed, the statement of Mrs. Groves is meant to be something that lingers in the minds of the readers. Likewise, it is the first attempt of the author to take note of the presence of the ghosts.
Resolution of Suspense
Suspense was built through the subsequent events in the story. The governess learned that the children had knowledge of the ghosts that visited them. After which, Flora was once caught talking to Miss Jessell that made Mrs. Groves and the governess respond by moving her to another place with his uncle. In this particular part of the book, the courage of the governess is already established and half of the suspense is resolved by giving the governess a sense of control over the incidents. However, the manner of ending used by the author brought back the suspense that was created at the time when the governess first learned about Peter Quint.
In the last chapter, the governess held Miles in her arms after Quint appeared at the other side of the window. Miles is aware of the presence of Quint and so did the governess. Nonetheless, the governess faced Quint in order to ask him to move away from the children, more specifically Miles. The governess believes that the children are being possessed by the ghosts and the only way to relieve them from Quint and Miss Jessell is to bravely face them. In the last scene, the governess talked to Quint and demanded that he disappear from the lives of the children. She did as she talked to Miles saying but he has lost you forever that refers to Quint (James 122).
Through their face-to-face encounter, the author is able to resolve the suspense built throughout the story. A part of this resolution lies on the unfortunate death of Miles just when the governess demanded that Quint leave the children alone. Though it is not directly said, the death of Miles is enveloped in the last few words of the chapter we were alone with the quite day, and his little heart, dispossessed, had stopped (James 122). The words can illicit imaginations of calmness, as expressed through the quiet day. It is a relief after everything that has happened but the death of Miles brought another wave of suspense for the readers. It can bring questions with regard to the existence of Miles and whether he would become a ghost, too, or not.
As for Flora, the author resolved the suspense brought about by her association with Miss Jessell and Quint. She moved to live with her uncle, according to the advise of Mrs. Groves. As she moved to another area, she is moved out of the picture and farther away from their home. Nonetheless, her absence did not fully erase the anticipation for her reappearance in the latter parts of the story. To a certain extent, her encounters with the ghosts served as a means to build the atmosphere of suspense initially created in the earlier parts of the story. She is used as a tool to show what and how the ghost encounters transpires. Her experience represents a part of the picture that leads to greater incidences.
Method of Introducing Suspense
The author introduced suspense in the story by presenting a common event that later turns out to be uncommon. An innocent scene is usually where the author moves the characters into finding out about the ghosts. It is also at this time when the readers are made aware of the situation and feels the same kind of heightened emotions exhibited within the scene. Likewise, the author makes use of uncommon characters, which in this case are the children. There is a particular stigma brought about by the presence of children as instruments of the ghosts. The innocence of the children plays an important role in bringing about a wilder imagination that affects the level of suspense in the scenes.
Conclusion
Both authors have successfully introduced a heightened sense of suspense in their respective novels. The authors presented the suspense through a narrative of the relevant experiences of particular characters. The authors built on these experiences in preparation for the resolution of the suspense created in the earlier parts of the story. Indeed, the sequence of events have become the primary tool of the authors in introducing and resolving the element of suspense in their stories.
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