Examining the impact of social class in The Turn of the Screw by James Throughout the second half of In the second millennium, horror fiction, or horror fantasy, began to emerge as an extremely popular literary tool used by various authors around the world. During the late 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries in particular, Gothic horror and horror literature emerged as one of the most sought-after literary genres, representing some of the most well-known authors and works of the 'era. The works of Edgar Allen Poe and others were extremely popular among 19th-century readers because they brought horror literature into the mainstream and exposed the world to a unique, redefined form of entertainment. It's safe to say that the era of "scary stories" flourished in the 19th and perhaps early 20th centuries, as children, teens, and adults sought a reliable source of entertainment before the revolution technological. Although one could easily argue that the introduction of television, cinema, and the Internet has significantly diminished the demand for horror literature, or indeed literature as a whole, a few authors continue to remind us that the genre is anything but dead and that horror fiction still retains its essential status in American society. Stephen King once again reinvented the genre to fit the fast-paced and rapidly changing lifestyle of the American people. He also introduced not only horror into his novels, but also morality. What King and other authors have proven is that the only thing readers love more than a scary story is a scary story with a lesson. Readers naturally tend to be more drawn to novels that simultaneously entertain and inform, as opposed to those that exhibit only one of two characteristics...... middle of paper ...... defensive in purpose to protect Flora and Miles at all costs. The impact of Mrs. Gross caused her to believe that the apparitions were more and more realistic, and her own desire to prove that she belonged to the upper class eventually led her into a state of eternal psychosis from which she could not. couldn't recover. Ultimately, this work is not only intended to entertain, but also to inform. Thus, James is most likely attempting to satirize the excessive emphasis on social classes or class relations that characterized the late 19th century. The reader can learn a few lessons from this text, including being yourself and not striving to be something you are not, as this could lead to dramatic consequences. Works Cited James, Henry. “The turn of the screw.” 1898. American Gothic. By Charles L. Crow. 2nd ed. Np: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. 227-89. Internet.