Question

At this point, the governess is convinced that Quint is an evil ghost who has come to corrupt Miles, and she is prepared to risk her life to save Miles. What is there to suggest, however, that her motives are not entirely unselfish?

Answer 1

The texts provided suggest characters experience complex emotions and moral dilemmas, implying that the governess's motives in protecting Miles from Quint may be multifaceted and not entirely unselfish.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question addresses the motives of a governess who appears to be acting to protect a child, Miles, from the influence of an evil ghost, Quint. The provided excerpts suggest complex and possibly not entirely altruistic motives for her actions. These texts hint at characters grappling with personal emotions, moral conflicts, and societal pressures which inform their decisions. For example, the torment faced by the characters in the excerpts indicates inner turmoil and the influence of personal desires or societal norms on their actions, suggesting that the motivations of the governess could be similarly nuanced and not purely selfless.

Jane Withersteen's struggle with coquetry in the pursuit of a larger motive reflects the potential for mixed motivations in the governess's efforts. The Prefect's involvement in a politically charged situation underlines the complexity of taking actions driven by more than one objective. And characters like Nora exhibit a nuanced interplay between fear, love, and duty that might mirror the governess's internal conflict between personal desires and her protective role.