Structure and Narrative Flashcards
The writer's techniques
True or False?
The novella is structured in chronological order.
False. The main narrative is chronological, but Jekyll and Lanyon’s letters return to earlier points in the story, so the novella has a non-chronological structure.
Give an example of a long period of time that the narrator skips over.
After the end of ‘Dr Jekyll was Quite at Ease’, “Nearly a year” passes before ‘The Carew Murder Case’.
What narrative perspective is most of the novella written in?
A. first person
B. second person
C. third person
C. The main narrative is written in the third person
The main narrative is limited to Utterson’s perspective.
What effect does this have on the reader’s understanding of events?
Explain your answer.
Because the main narratives is limited to Utterson’s perspective, the reader only knows what Utterson knows. They must uncover each step of the mystery alongside him. This delays the moment when the reader discovers Hyde’s identity and increases their anticipation for the moment that the secret is revealed.
The novella’s full name is ‘The Strange Case if Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’.
Why do you think Stevenson presented the story as a ‘case’ (i.e. an investigation)?
Stevenson presents the story as an investigation in order to make it more realistic. The chapter titles refer to incidents and pieces of evidence, which sound like a methodical and rational exploration of the events that occurred. By making it seem real, Stevenson makes it more frightening — it’s as if it could really happen.
Give three written documents that appear in the novella
Jekyll’s will, Lanyon’s letter to Utterson, Jekyll’s final letter to Utterson
Give an example which suggests that the maid’s witness statement might not be completely reliable.
The maid is described as “romantically given” (fanciful), which suggests her account might be making things seem more dramatic than they actually were.
There is one letter in the novella whose contents are never revealed.
Who wrote it, and who was it written to?
Carew writes a letter whose contents are never revealed. It was addressed to Utterson. It’s unlikely that his letter contained important information, but as there are lots of other important documents in the novella, this could be seen as a red herring to raise the reader’s suspicious.
Why do you think Stevenson makes Jekyll’s statement the final chapter in the novella?
Explain your answer.
Stevenson puts Jekyll’s account as the final chapter to increase the suspense. The reader feels a lot of anticipation in all the chapters before the final one because there is still so much they don’t know. Jekyll’s account also provides a satisfying ending for the reader because it fills in the remaining gaps in the narrative and explains Jekyll’s motivation for the events that Utterson has been investigating.
The reader never gets a first-person account from Hyde.
How does this affect the reader’s view of him?
Since the reader never gets a first-person account from Hyde, they do not hear his personal perspective, unlike most of the main characters. The only insight into his mindset comes from Jekyll’s narrative. This could mean the reader feels very little sympathy for or connection with Hyde.
