Chapter 5- Incident Of The Letter

Question 1

What happens?

Answer 1

Utterson visits Jekyll and Jekyll assures Utterson that Hyde has now gone and will not be found. He gives Utterson a letter from Hyde. Utterson asks Poole whether a letter had been delivered to the house, and Poole confirms it hadn’t. Utterson realises Jekyll is lying. He visits a handwriting expert who tells him that Hyde’s handwriting is the same as Jekyll’s. Utterson thinks Jekyll is helping Hyde.

Question 2

Why is this a key chapter? (May link to good and evil)

Answer 2

Because it highlights the blurring if boundaries, between good and evil.

Question 3

“Dr Jekyll, …”

Answer 3

Narrator- “Dr Jekyll, looking deadly sick”
“Deadly sick”- key, he looks deadly sick because he has just murdered a man. Deadly emphasising the theme of death
Jekyll has just transformed to from Hyde to Jekyll- Physical transformation
Context- Stevenson, was sick all his life, links to the author

Question 4

“I swear to…”

Answer 4

Jekyll- “I swear to God I will never set eyes on him again”
Links to “I can be rid of Mr Hyde”
Before it was a choice but now he has murdered someone he feels he hasn’t got a choice. Attitude has changed
Shows he has power and control but we know he was loosing control
“Never”- emphasises power

Question 5

“I swear to…”

Answer 5

• Contrast between religion and science, however he is a scientist and doesn’t even believe in God.
• If swearing to god is it actually meaningful, Jekyll is god because he is playing with two things (Good vs Evil). Just making the promise to himself. He is playing and experimenting. Pretending god as he is changing himself and people. Created a drug that an change people.
• People were expected to stay in one bracket (social expectations), so he is more likely to act out as he is making a huge promise
• When he is Jekyll (he is god) and when he is Hyde (he is Satan). We like to think we are all good, but we have bad thoughts or do bad things (7 deadly sins), people are good and evil (what the book wanted)l

Question 6

“I have had a …”

Answer 6

Jekyll- “I have had a lesson” “O God, Utterson what a lesson I have had!”
God- Emphasis of power
Lesson- Learned something