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Year 11 - English

Considering Stevenson's use of fog as a motif in 'Jekyll and Hyde'

Jekyll & Hyde: the divided city

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore the importance of settings in 'Jekyll and Hyde'. They first look at how Stevenson subverts our expectations of gothic settings, before looking at different settings and motifs in the novella. They finally do a detailed analysis of the 'Incident at the window' extract.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to analyse the importance of fog in 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde'.

Key Notes

  • In Chapter 4, there is smog, bound up with pollution to create an artificial twilight that links to liminality
  • The dirt of the fog implies the pollution and corruption of London
  • In Soho (Ch4) there is smog, bound up with pollution to create an artificial twilight that links to liminality and Ch7
  • The fog and the mystery is heightened in Chapter 5
  • It is important to trace motifs throughout a text

Vocabulary To Learn

  • pall: A pall is a thick dark cloud of something, for example smoke. It is also a cloth placed over coffins at funerals.
  • twilight: The period of time between sunset and the darkness of night is known as twilight.
  • liminal: Liminal describes something that is between two stages.
  • concept: Another word for an idea is concept.
  • concealed: If something is concealed, it is hidden.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Students think that the fog is purely designed to create an eerie Gothic atmosphere.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

In Chapter 4, there is smog, bound up with pollution to create an artificial twilight that links to liminality. The dirt of the fog implies the pollution and corruption of London.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'pall'

A pall is a thick dark cloud of something, for example smoke. It is also a cloth placed over coffins at funerals.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Students think that the fog is purely designed to create an eerie Gothic atmosphere. Correction: Be clear about the symbolic nature of fog. The fact that it can allow for partial visibility.

More Lessons In This Unit

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