Final answer:
Miles's exclamation 'Peter Quint -- you devil!' from 'The Turn of the Screw' can be interpreted as being directed either at the ghost of Peter Quint or metaphorically at the governess, depending on the reader's interpretation of the text's ambiguous supernatural elements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The quotation "Miles screams, 'Peter Quint -- you devil!'" likely comes from Henry James's novella 'The Turn of the Screw,' where Miles, one of the children, could be addressing either Peter Quint, a possibly supernatural entity, or the governess who is with him at the time.
The interpretation of this line depends on one's reading of the text. As 'The Turn of the Screw' is a tale with ambiguous supernatural elements, it is open to interpretation whether the ghosts that the governess sees are real or figments of her imagination.
If Miles is perceived to be aware of Quint's ghost, it suggests that he is shouting at Quint directly. However, if the reader believes that the ghosts are not real, Miles could be speaking metaphorically or even addressing the governess, expressing his terror or frustration in her presence.
The context around this line may provide additional clues, but without it, the line remains deliberately ambiguous, serving to heighten the psychological complexity of the novel.