Top Grades in Literature - Jekyll and Hyde
by Michael Hartland
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is one of the most popular GCSE literature texts for pre-twentieth century literature across all the exam boards. As an English tutor, I am usually helping a number of students who are either reading it early in Year 9, in the middle of studying it in Years 10-11 or revising it in Year 11.
Its appeal is obvious: it’s dramatic, intriguing and it’s fairly short, making it accessible for a wide range of abilities.
This is what one of my tutees, Aarav, had to say about the book after reading Chapter 1:
Today I want to talk about whether The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a good book, based on the first chapter. Now, I know some people think it’s boring. After all, most first chapters of other books don’t jump straight into action. But I actually think the first chapter is powerful and sets up a lot of interesting ideas and potential plots.
First, let’s look at what actually happens. In just one chapter, we hear about a man named Hyde who “trampled calmly” over a young girl. That phrase tells us a lot, he didn’t just hurt someone, he did it without any emotion, like a sociopath. Straight away, the book gives us a character who’s disturbing and clearly not normal.
Now, some people say it’s not that great because we don’t even meet Dr Jekyll yet, and there’s no obvious plot , just a long conversation between Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield. It might feel like a slow start and that can be frustrating.
The mystery is exactly what makes it so exciting. The author, Robert Louis Stevenson, is building suspense. He wants us to wonder: who is Jekyll? What’s his connection to Hyde? Could he be the girl’s father, her protector, or something else entirely? We’re meant to be curious.This gives us different opinions as to what could happen as it is very open to differentiation.
On top of that, we actually do get a lot in this chapter. We’re introduced to characters with really interesting personalities. Mr. Hyde is creepy and unsettling, while Mr. Utterson is “austere ”with himself but kind to others, especially those who are struggling and “downgoing”. That contrast makes us wonder how these people are going to interact later on. The conversation between Mr. Enfield and Mr. Utterson might seem simple, but it hints at all kinds of future twists and potential plots .
So in the end, I’d say the first chapter is far from boring. It gives us mystery, bizarre and weird characters, and just enough detail to make us want to read on. It’s the kind of chapter that stays in your mind and that’s the sign of a good book.
We aim to inspire and nurture excellence at Hartland Educational Consultancy Services. Our focus is on developing the higher level skills of a deep understanding of the context and concepts of the novel, and on analysing Stevenson’s language and style.
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