The existence of ghosts or spirits has been a speculation by human beings for many centuries. There has not been a lot of proof within the field of science to show that ghosts and spirits are real. With that being said, many people still believe that once we pass away our spirits will linger on. After reading The Haunting of Hill House, The Turn of the Screw and The Shining, I have come to the conclusion that ghosts are a manifestation of madness, and not spectral forms of once living people.
To begin in The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, the Governess first sees a ghost who is known as Peter Quint. Her first encounter with him is shortly after she arrived at the estate. When she saw him, their encounter was strange, “He remained but a few seconds – long enough to convince me he also saw and recognized; but it was as if I had been looking at him for years and had known him always” (20). This is the first piece of evidence where she may be mad because she feels like she knows who the man is, but she has never encountered him before now. After she sees him, she goes back to Mrs. Grose to talk about what she had just witnessed and that is when she officially figures out who that the ghostly man is in fact Peter Quint.
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The madness had began shortly after her arrival there. When Eleanor is introduced to the house, you can tell she feels unsure about what to expect from it. Her doubt about this place begins with, “…this is where they want me to sleep, Eleanor thought incredulously; what nightmares are waiting, shadowed, in those high corners-what break of mindless fear will drift across my mouth…” (29). Her thoughts of this place are already unsure, but from here becomes more connected with the house. Eleanor has history with the paranormal which is why it could be believed that it did drive her mad in the