Chapter three analysis

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  • Chapter three: Dr Jekyll was quite at ease.
    • Jekyll is a popular, respected man
      • Two weeks later, Jekyll invites Utterson and some other "intelligent, reputable" mean to one of his dinner parties. This reflects the social circle that Jekyll moves in
      • This is the first time that the reader meets Jekyl and his dinner parties show that he is a social, respectable man who fits in with the well respected upper class.
      • He is described to be a nice man, but it says he has a "slyish cast" conveying that he has something to hide, and has a dark side.
    • Utterson tries to talk to Jekyll about his will
      • Utterson tries to approach Jekyll about his will and approaches it like one of his cases. He tries to figure it out rationally.
      • Jekyll doesn't want to make it obvious that he doesn't want to discuss the will, and so he changes the subject to Lanyon. This makes the reader suspicious as to why Jekyll cant even tell a close friend the truth.
      • Jekyll says that Lanyon is "ignorant" because he dismisses Jekylls work. This shows Jekyll has a selfish side, as he is willing to lose friends over "fanciful" scientific experiments.
      • In the 1800's, many people feared the dangerous sides of science, because it went against God, and Charles Darwin's theory of evolution was a new theory. Science was very controversial at this point in time and Stevenson may have been trying to make a political statement
    • Jekyll clearly has something to hide
      • Jekyll does all he can to avoid talking about the will
      • He says he is a strange situation, that "cannot be mended by talking" and this secrecy builds suspense.
      • Jekyll also says to Uterson that he has "a great interest" in Hyde but wont explain why
      • Jekyll says that "the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr Hyde," saying that he can choose when he is around him, but we later find out this isn't true as he loses control
      • Theme: secrecy- Victorians hid what they saw and did for fear of their reputation. Jekyll is indulging in his darker desires and will tell no one for fear of damaging his respectability,
      • Utterson tries to help Jekyll out of trouble, and like a true Victorian gentleman, he is more concerned about preserving his reputation, and doesn't want to know the immoral things Jekyll has been doing.
    • Exam tip: mention the early signs of Jekyll's dual nature

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