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Year 11 - English

Stevenson's use of structure in 'Jekyll and Hyde'

Jekyll & Hyde: society as the villain

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils explore how the society the characters of 'Jekyll and Hyde' inhabit affects their interpretation of them. They first look at structure and the Gothic, before thinking carefully about how to use context. They then look at hypocrisy and write an essay about it in the novella.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to write about the structure of 'Jekyll and Hyde' and how it links to key themes in the novella.

Key Notes

  • The power of human curiosity is key theme shown through the detective form and final narratives of Lanyon and Jekyll.
  • Concealment is a key theme shown through the motif of letters and the detective form.
  • False appearances is a key theme shown through the motif of the mask.
  • Arguably the novella's climax is the breaking down of the door to Jekyll's cabinet, linking to secrecy and concealment.
  • Jekyll offers a "full statement" in the denouement, yet we don't see Utterson's response or the consequences of this.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Exposition: Exposition introduces the characters, explains past events and describes the setting of the story.
  • Rising Action: The part of the story leading to the climax, in which the tension grows, is known as rising action.
  • Climax: The turning point in a story, where tension is highest, is known as a climax.
  • Denouement: The final part of a story, in which the loose ends are brought together and the story is resolved is known as a denouement.
  • Motif: A motif is an object or image that is repeated throughout a story.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • All stories can be unambiguously plotted on a Freytag's Pyramid. It is clear which element is which.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

The power of human curiosity is key theme shown through the detective form and final narratives of Lanyon and Jekyll. Concealment is a key theme shown through the motif of letters and the detective form.

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

Exposition introduces the characters, explains past events and describes the setting of the story.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: All stories can be unambiguously plotted on a Freytag's Pyramid. It is clear which element is which. Correction: Complex stories, like Jekyll and Hyde, are open to interpretation as to how each element can be plotted on the pyramid.

More Lessons In This Unit

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