Don't HYDE from this Blog Post!
Excerpt 1) "He is not easy to describe, there is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked, and yet I scarcely know why. He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn't specify the point. He's an extraordinary-looking man, and yet I can name nothing out of the way."
Excerpt 3) "To this rule, Dr. Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the opposite side of the fire- a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness-you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection."
Step 1)
It would be important to note first the obvious difference in point of view. The first excerpt describing Hyde is in first person, in the words of Enfield. The second excerpt is in third person when describing Jekyll. This overall gives off a different message because with Hyde's description, it is shown that this is an actual impression of Hyde in direct dialogue. However, the third person provided in Jekyll's description gives an impersonal feeling to his description due to the fact that this is not someone's specifically stated opinion. Hyde is mostly described by how he is seen by others. In contrast, Jekyll is described through an unbiased, third person viewpoint. More obviously, the difference in outward appearance and personality can be contrasted between the two excerpts. Hyde is described by Enfield when he states, "there is something wrong with his appearance." In contrast, Jekyll is described as, "a large well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty." These descriptions allow for a an outside appearance that matches who each individual is on the inside. However, both can be compared due to their mysterious appearance given in their descriptions. Enfield is not able to specifically describe how Hyde looks, adding a sense of mystery to Hyde overall. This is also seen in the description of Dr. Jekyll when the words "slyish cast" are used. Amongst the positive descriptions of Jekyll in the excerpt, the author chooses to include that Jekyll seems sly, but promptly counters this with words such as "kindness." This reveals the sense of good vs. evil that can even be seen in the appearance of Jekyll.
Step 2)
Excerpt 3) "To this rule, Dr. Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the opposite side of the fire- a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness-you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr. Utterson a sincere and warm affection."
Step 1)
It would be important to note first the obvious difference in point of view. The first excerpt describing Hyde is in first person, in the words of Enfield. The second excerpt is in third person when describing Jekyll. This overall gives off a different message because with Hyde's description, it is shown that this is an actual impression of Hyde in direct dialogue. However, the third person provided in Jekyll's description gives an impersonal feeling to his description due to the fact that this is not someone's specifically stated opinion. Hyde is mostly described by how he is seen by others. In contrast, Jekyll is described through an unbiased, third person viewpoint. More obviously, the difference in outward appearance and personality can be contrasted between the two excerpts. Hyde is described by Enfield when he states, "there is something wrong with his appearance." In contrast, Jekyll is described as, "a large well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty." These descriptions allow for a an outside appearance that matches who each individual is on the inside. However, both can be compared due to their mysterious appearance given in their descriptions. Enfield is not able to specifically describe how Hyde looks, adding a sense of mystery to Hyde overall. This is also seen in the description of Dr. Jekyll when the words "slyish cast" are used. Amongst the positive descriptions of Jekyll in the excerpt, the author chooses to include that Jekyll seems sly, but promptly counters this with words such as "kindness." This reveals the sense of good vs. evil that can even be seen in the appearance of Jekyll.
Step 2)
Ok I really like this. I liked how you said, : "we would not be one without us as two." I feel like that really portrays the idea of the duality of man in a very elegant way. I also very much liked the physical description of the two.
ReplyDelete"I am chaotic, the manifestation of true emotions." Wow. This hit me on a very deep and real level, a metaphor for Mr. Hyde in the novella and the evil sides to everyone. I really liked how Jekyll and Hyde were speaking to each other in your poem as well. I found your interpretation of the difference between the choices of POV when Jekyll and Hyde are described throughout the novella, and I agree with your analysis. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI really like your poem and how Hyde is talking to Jekyll and telling him that he'll always be there and he can't be stopped because I got that same impression. I also realllyyy like how you said "The truth from within will always reveal itself". It's like he is saying that the person that Jekyll truly is is evil. Nice job!! #hayleyandbenforever #what #yes
ReplyDeleteI really like how you talk about POV and how it conveys a story which the novella does. POV can be overlooked, and sometimes you don't see that there are other ways to interpret and understand something but taking a step back and seeing how this sounds or appears to a different person/character. Secondly, I like how you talked about the characters and how they are described throughout the novella. In my opinion, Narration is an important part of the story because they set the tone. They allow for us to see where the story may head and when it heads that way the obstacles and courses it may take along with some curve balls.
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