The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Transcription

1 Name & Period The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (published in 1886) PACKET DUE WRITING PROJECT DUE Intro/Background Notes: Gothic literature characteristics: Emphasizes what? Setting? Another very famous piece of Gothic British literature: By This novella (short novel) is often considered a precursor to detective novels. Which series is perhaps the most famous of these during this time period? by Reading Schedule: (may be changed! Check website for updates) Free online e-book: 3/24A & 4/4B Ch.1&2 4/5A & 4/6B Ch.3&4 4/7A & 4/8B Ch.5&6&7 4/11A & 4/12B Ch.8&9 4/13A & 4/14B catch-up if needed 4/15A & 4/18B Ch.10 4/19A & 4/20B Writing Project & Packet DUE

2 Character Chart: complete with appropriate details as we read Mr. Utterson Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde Dr. Lanyon Physical appearance Significant actions Reactions of others One informative quote from the story (either by the character or about the character) -include page number Another informative quote from the story (either by the character or about the character) -include page number Two other characters (just write a note about who they are): Mr. Enfield Poole

3 Chapter Questions: Answer each question below. (You may briefly discuss with a partner first.) CHAPTER 1 STORY OF THE DOOR 1. Describe Mr. Utterson (his personality) in your own words. 2. Compare and contrast the description of the building and door used by Mr. Hyde and Enfield s description of Hyde himself. How does the author seem to be using setting to let us know what Hyde is like? CHAPTER 2 SEARCH FOR MR. HYDE 3. Once Utterson confronts Hyde, how does he feel toward him? What reasons does Utterson give for his feelings about Hyde? In Utterson s response to Hyde, what does the author tell us about Hyde? 4. Utterson s speculation on Jekyll s connection to Hyde makes him reflect on his own vices and failings. What could the author be implying about human nature in Utterson s reflection? CHAPTER 3 DR. JEKYLL WAS QUITE AT EASE 5. How does Jekyll describe Lanyon? What does this suggest about Jekyll s feelings about his own abilities? 6. What does Jekyll ask of Utterson at the end of the chapter? Why does Utterson have strong misgivings about this request? CHAPTER 4 THE CAREW MURDER CASE 7. How is Hyde described as he kills Sir Danvers Carew? How does this image fit with the other physical descriptions the author has given of Hyde? 8. What do you think it means that, although Hyde s specific facial features cannot be recognized, everyone remembers the sense of deformity he conveyed? CHAPTER 5 INCIDENT OF THE LETTER 9. Dr. Jekyll is a changed man when Utterson greets him in this chapter compared to the last time Utterson saw him. What accounts for this change?

4 CHAPTER 6 REMARKABLE INCIDENT OF DR. LANYON 10. What happens to Dr. Lanyon? Is there any suggestion about what has caused his illness? CHAPTER 7 INCIDENT AT THE WINDOW 11. What do you think is happening with Jekyll? CHAPTER 8 THE LAST NIGHT 12. Why does Poole believe that his master has been murdered? 13. What is the evidence that a troubled person had lived in the room where Hyde was found dead? CHAPTER 9 DR. LANYON S NARRATIVE 14. Why did Jekyll want to reveal his transformation to Dr. Lanyon? CHAPTER 10 HENRY JEKYLL S FULL STATEMENT OF THE CASE 15. What does Jekyll mean when he says that man is truly two and that in the agonized womb of consciousness, these polar twins should be continuously struggling? 16. Why did Jekyll enjoy being Hyde? In other words, what aspects of Hyde s persona were attractive to Jekyll? 17. What are the main reasons that Jekyll tries to cast off his Hyde nature forever? 18. Why does Jekyll s lower nature come to dominate him? 19. Why does Hyde commit suicide? 20. What morals or lessons can we draw from the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?

5 FINAL WRITING PROJECT: (1 to 2 pages typed; size 12 Times New Roman font; double-spaced; 1-inch margins; appropriate title; heading with your name & period ONLY) DUE 4/22A & 4/23B 35 points grading will focus on quality of your ideas Choices: (just do ONE) 1. Essay: Choose one of these topics: evil, addiction, the duality of human nature, the struggle of science with/against the supernatural. Then create a theme statement related to how this topic is treated in the novella. Using textual evidence from the novella and your own experiences, write a one-to-two page essay about this theme statement. 2. Essay: This novel is often cited as a precursor of the detective novel. Utterson sets out to discover the truth about the relationship between Hyde and Jekyll despite his principle of not probing into the lives of other persons. Now that you have read the whole story, go back to see what hypotheses or generalizations Utterson makes and how he goes about checking the accuracy of his theory. Write an explanation of what you discover, using quotes from the story. In other words, you are summarizing Utterson s detective work. (In parentheses after each quote, indicate which chapter it comes from.) Comment on how effective or ineffective his detective work is and why. 3. Essay: The chapter Henry Jekyll s Full Statement of the Case is the first time readers see events through Jekyll s eyes. How does he explain his fascination with Hyde? Do you empathize with his attraction to this side of his character? Do you think he is still rationalizing his behavior? Where do you think he goes wrong? Was there a point at which he could have stopped himself? Write an essay about this topic and these questions, using supportive examples from the story. 4. Essay: With friends like these, who needs enemies. Apply this idea to the novella. Were Utterson and Lanyon good friends to Jekyll? Did they help him? What could they have done to help him more directly? Are they guilty in any way for what happens to Jekyll? In an organized essay, explain your thinking about their responsibility toward their friend. 5. Essay: Having read this novella, what moral or lesson do you think Stevenson (the author) is teaching? State the moral/lesson and provide your reasons for choosing it. Discuss the events that make this lesson clear to the reader. 6. Essay: The last two chapters are written as letters, almost like depositions, recounting the individual s memories about events. Stevenson (the author) has us read over Mr. Utterson s shoulder as he pieces together the strange history of Jekyll. After reading chapter 9, Dr. Lanyon s Narrative, consider how you react to this narrative device (of using letters to tell the story). Why did Stevenson choose to use these written narratives / letters for the unraveling of the story? What does he gain by using this device? Why is Utterson the ideal person to bring together the evidence? 7. Poem: Create a found poem from the novella, using lines and phrases from the novel that resonate about its ideas and themes. First go through the novel underlining words, phrases, and sentences, or write out your list. Then organize these lines into a free verse poem, putting the found lines in quotation marks. Create an appropriate and meaningful title. Write a final copy of the poem. Your found poem should take up a full page, double-spaced, size 12 font. (**If your lines are shorter than half the width of the page, make your poem longer!) You may add in a few of your own original lines but it is not required. Then write a written explanation of your poem for at least another half page. Write about why you chose certain lines, how you organized the poem, explain the title, explain any symbolism or metaphors you used, etc. 8. Newspaper article: Create a newspaper feature story as if you were a journalist the day in March 1880 when the news reveals the double identity of Dr. Jekyll. Write the headline, the news story, a biographical sketch of Dr. Jekyll, and his obituary. Add anything else you think would be interesting in such a news story, based on Stevenson s novella. 9. Debate script: Create a drama presentation in which you show the two sides of Dr. Jekyll Jekyll and Hyde in a debate in which they argue for their particular way of life: restraint and conformity to moral laws vs. passion and unbridled indulgence of all impulses. From the novel gather arguments that could be used by each persona. SOURCES: A Teacher s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of Robert Louis Stevenson s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Jeanne M. McGlinn & James E. McGlinn The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Daily Plans from TeachersPayTeachers