Reflection Essay On Jekyll And Hyde

This sample paper on Jekyll And Hyde Essay offers a framework of relevant facts based on recent research in the field. Read the introductory part, body, and conclusion of the paper below.

The novel, ‘The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ was written by Robert Louis Stevenson and is set in 1886 Victorian London. Victorians that lived in London at that time believed in certain morals of living they believed when in public you must represent yourself in a respectable manor.

In the novel people are presented as well mannered until they are away from the publics eyes. This shows two sides, an example of duality and hypocrisy this shows a link to the character Mr. Hyde.

As a young man Stevenson was a very sickly man and spent most of his childhood ill. His dad had very high expectations of him and hoped he would take in his footsteps and become an engineer. Although he qualified as a lawyer his ambition was to become a writer.

Due to Stevenson being very ill when young he spent most of his days indoors, the quote ‘It shook the doors of the prison house of my disposition’ this metaphor reflects on his childhood because he felt trapped when he was young and ill in his home as if his home was a ‘prison’.

Summary Of Jekyll And Hyde

Throughout the novel Stevenson shows examples of Darwinism through Hydes looks and movements. The Quote ‘A little man who was stumping along’ is showing us that he is short like an un-evolved ape and is not walking like a human, showing comparison to an ape.

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This makes the reader feel more cautious about his animal actions, it can be comparing Hyde to Stevenson as he was a very sickly boy and people may of judged him because of his ill looks and believed he was being punished for his sins.

The Victorians used to judge people on their looks in a fake science called physiognomy. This quote is a good example ‘Wicked looking’ from their prospective it looks like his actions would be bad due to the way he looks. This gives the effect of evilness coming from the character, also this can link to the way Stevenson was as a young man, he was very sick and poor looking so people could of thought he was a evil person when he wasn’t.

The novel is about a Doctor, Dr. Jekyll and his other ‘evil’ side Hyde and Mr. Utterson the lawyer. The story is based on the theme duality, Dr Jekyll starts messing about with evolution as he experiments with nature. He takes a potion which transforms him into animalistic Hyde with Dr Jekyll being left with a good and bad side yet Jekyll likes the feeling of evil and slowly detaches away from his good side.

In chapter 10 ‘Henry Jekylls full statement of the case’ Jekyll explains how he goes to bed Jekyll and wakes up Hyde this is showing his bad side is stronger. Jekyll is an ordinary person with both good and bad thoughts, which he can control.

Stevenson uses the character of Hyde to represent Evil he is described as ‘evil like Satan’ the use of the simile engages the reader and makes them refer to the character Hyde as evil and they therefore relate him to negative things . In the Victorian era people were very religious and saw Satan as the ultimate EVIL, we realize that Hyde is the most evil person in the novel just as Satan is seen as the most evil person in the world

Stevenson Uses similes to express how the characters look by the emotion of their face the quote ‘about as emotional as a bagpipe’ is a simile describing Hydes facial expression. This is showing us that Hyde is an unemotional person also showing no remorse for his actions. It gives the reader a feeling of unexpectancy of Hydes thoughts or how he is feeling at the time.

Pathetic fallacy is also used to create mystery the quote ‘A fog rolled over the city’ or to hide the fact of evil coming their way. It gives the reader a feeling of mystery and gives a clue about something happening in the citys streets.

The quote ‘the fog lifted a little’ is showing the some mystery has been explained yet needs to be solved fully the fog is a blindfold to the truth.

In the novel Stevenson uses doors and windows to represent the characters personality and looks. For example ‘distained and blistered door’ this quote is showing the door representing Hyde, blistered and distained shows that Hyde is not a nice person, has no feelings and is scary. The same door is described as ‘the door with neither bell nor knocker’ this is giving the reader a sense of not being wanted this can also show Hydes anger and not wanting company and wanting to be alone.

In the same way doors can portray the characters personality and feelings the characters windows can also show some messages to the outside world. The quote ‘dingy windowless structure’ is giving an impression on Hyde it gives an effect of not wanting secrets to leave the building or to be revealed to the outside world. The same windows of Hydes house are described as ‘dusty windows-barred with iron’ this gives a feeling of a person wanting secrecy and privacy, it also gives the reader a feeling of them wanting to be left alone. This can relate to the way Stevenson was forced to stay inside because of his illness and the bars give a feeling of a prison from the outside world.

The windows of Jekyll’s house are very different the quote ‘freshly painted shutters’ this shows us that Jekyll is putting on a appearance and is showing people everything is fine and is more inviting, how ever the blinds themselves hide the truth.

Stevenson uses windows and doors to portray different views and characteristics of Jekyll and Hyde and give the readers clues about the characters.

In the novel Stevenson uses temporal markers such as ‘that evening’, it gives us an idea on the events of the story even though the novel happens over the period of a couple years and it gives a sense of direction.

Dr. Jekyll himself can be an example of today’s society, as he has inner anger and evil ness just like a normal person. He first tries to suppress the angry thoughts and inner demons forcefully then they become out of control as he likes the feeling of being evil. Then he becomes dependant on a drug even though he knows it is killing him inside, this could be compared to the drug addicts of today’s society and the way they are dependant on certain things but they can’t see their actions due to their dependency on a addiction.