- Gothic, including supernatural - Ghosts.
- James also relates the amount of light present in various scenes to the strength of the supernatural or ghostly forces apparently at work.
- Focus on Governess as protagonist, reflects society as Father takes no care or responsibility for Flora or Miles.
- Secrets - Peter Ouint, molested Miles.
- Madness/fear of it - Governess uncertain whether others are seeing the ghosts too 'She was there, and I was justified; she was there and I was neither cruel nor mad.'
- Dark, gothic language. 'Evil', 'Ravenous', 'Demon' p.99
- Corruption, influence. Lord Henry.
- Society, varying perspectives that would have been seen as controvertail or exaggerated today. Socially challenging statements. (Lord Henry) 'Being adored is a nuisence. Women treat us just as humanity treats it's Gods. They worship us, and are always bothering us to do something for them.'
- Views on Women - 'My dear boy, no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly. Women represent the triumph of matter over mid, just as men represent the triumph of mind over morals.'
- Dark themes - Sibyl's suicide, Basil's murder.
- Moral Message - Highlights the power of influence and how actions can define how others see you. Responsibility. Focus on the right things, if you focus on immoral things that do not last like beauty and youth then your happiness will not last either.
Drama: A Woman of No Importance
- Views on Women (Sexist in today's society.) 'The history of women is the history of the worst form of tyranny the world has ever known. The tyranny of the weak over the poor.' And after being hearing Gerald mention women being clever, Lord Illingworth also says 'One should always tell them so.' Mrs. Arbuthnot also says 'The ending is the ordinary ending. The woman suffers. The man goes free.'
- Scandal, society's law, Marriage- 'You must marry him. It is your duty.' p.84 - Gerald. A woman is ruined if she bears a child out of wedlock, society's views can ruin somebody. 'Her life was ruined, and her soul ruined, and all that was sweet, and good, and pure in her ruined also.' p.70
- Religion and Religious Influence - 'God's law is only love.' , 'you believe in religion, and you brought me up to believe in it also.....the religion that you taught me when I was a boy, mother, must tell you I am right.'
- Underlying Moral/Message in the story - 'God's law is only Love' - Hester.
Prose: The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass-
- Fear of madness/delusion. 'But I don't want to go among mad people.' 'a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.'
- Female Heroine - Other female heroines include Little Dorrit, Jane Eyre.
