English

Reading Log #6
Text title: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Text type: Novella
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson

'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' is a novella which was published in 1886. It tells the story of well known Dr Jekyll and an evil, sinister person named Mr Hyde. But actually, they're both the same person. Because of the extreme shame and guilt Jekyll felt about things which he had done earlier in life, he decides to create a potion. This potion enables him to live life as himself, Henry Jekyll but also live life as a beast named Mr Hyde.

An important part in this novella is when Jekyll begins experimenting with the supernatural. "He became wrong, wrong in the mind" us readers are now aware of the major impact this had on Jekyll himself. Another quote used in this novella which is very important is "Man is not truly one, but truly two" I think what Stevenson is trying to say is that there’s good and bad within us all. A bad side in which people usually want to hide. People sometimes turn to awful things just to find an escape, like how Jekyll turned to his potion.

Using the potion soon gave Jekyll a strong feeling of satisfaction and he becomes addicted. Stevenson wants us to realise the power of addiction and what it can do to one. For Jekyll, this potion eventually takes over his entire life. I was quite shocked to see how overpowering Jekyll’s evil side was compared to his good side. It shows us the monster that lurks within us all, especially the monster inside of Jekyll. I think the novella does a great job in portraying the battle between good vs evil, which can be seen when Dr Jekyll struggles to keep balance between both identities. It soon becomes too much for Jekyll. "Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confessions, I bring to you the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end" - Jekyll cannot escape Hyde.