Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde pg 61.
This passage was written in Dr. Jekyll's letter which was later read by Mr. Utterson after Jekyll's death. In his letter he explains that he himself is Mr. Hyde. The passage is written when he tries to explain the experiment which led to the transformation. The importance of this passage is that it helps explain the theme of the duality of man. It talks about how everyone has two mindsets: good and evil.it also helps explain the character of Dr. Jekyll more because it explained his death was a result of his fight with Mr. Hyde, his evil side, for possession of the body they both shared. The battle was lost by both sides as Dr. Jekyll died.
I really liked this passage because it's true. Everyone has two sides to them: the good side and the bad side. This passage says that these two sides are what makes a human being, human. There is always a battle of good and evil happening in our minds. A battle between our conscience and our impure thoughts. I liked this passage because it explains the universal theory of the "duality of man." It is one of the few things that all people have in common. Their ability to be either good or bad and the fact that they have a choice. An example of this is if someone needs money they can either a) get a job: the moral choice, or b) rob a bank:the immoral choice. Dr. Jekyll separated the two parts and as a result ended up killing himself. This is why it is so amazing that we can have these two completely different mindsets and yet still have them live in harmony.
Im really glad you posted this novel on the blog because i've always wanted to read it. I loved the quote you picked because although i have not read this novel yet, i have a little idea about the complexity of the story line. Everyone knows that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are the two personalities of this man, but after reading that quote, i know a little bit more about what went on in this story.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on one thing, Joji, and that is about the two different sides of a person's personality; the good and the evil. Speaking from personal experience, i know that people always think the worst, but we have trained our brains to keep the bad in, and only say the good. Some people can be really angry and mean to one another, but then go home and act like a saint in front of their mothers. It's the same thing, its like living two different lives. Your example of choosing between getting a job to make money or robbing the bank is a perfect example. It shows the good decision and the bad decision, and on a smaller scale, everyone is faced with decisions like that. However, it is unfortunate that Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde killed eachother.. I cant imagine how the author described that scene!
After reading your post, now more than ever i want to read this book. It sounds so bizzare i cant wait to see how the author portray's two completely different personalities in one person.
I have always wanted to read this novel. I always hear people refer to Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, and I think the concept of two opposing personalities in one individual sounds extraordinary but at the same time mundane. To have two completely opposite entities in one beings sounds ludicrous, however; most people are like Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde; constantly having to chose between good and evil. The quote you chose is phenomenal, and it makes me interested to see how the author alternates back and forth between both characters.
ReplyDeleteThis quote caught my attention as I was skimming through the other post. I would really like to read this novel. It seems like it has to do with science and anything with science always grasps my interest. I agree with what the quote is stating. Every human being has a conscience and a sub-conscience that's also known as your "good and evil side." We make judgments on do's and don't's, things we should do and what we should not everyday. Our lives revolve around making decisions and the decisions that we make can impact our lives in both a positive and negative way. Our conscience and sub-conscience mind are always clashing.
ReplyDeleteWow, this novel seems interesting. I have always been a fan of "duality of man" because that is one of the essential theories being studied in the field of neurology and psychology today. The experiment he conducted, was it a psychological experiment or did he actually physically tamper with his brain? It's interesting to think about how he fought with his inner self and that there was actually a different character called Mr. Hyde inside of him. It just shows how powerful an individuals mind is. This reminds me of one of my friends who suffers from a disease called MPD, or multiple personality disorder. The disease is similar to what Dr. Jekyll was experiencing, it is when a person has two or more different personalities or different characters inside of him/her. However, Dr. Jekyll's seems to be unique because his consists of a personality that is evil and one that is good. This also brings into mind the idea of two face which derives from the horoscope- Gemini. Overall, the summary of this book seems to be really intriguing so I am going to take a look at novel.
ReplyDeleteIt is late so this will be brief…
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to be both good and bad?
Just a question because in the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde it was not possible, therefore both sides died, but my other summer reading, Sula, suggests that it is. The main character, Sula May Peace, is both a great friend and a back stabber in her lifetime, dying alone and misunderstood. She never fully grasped the meaning of possession or true love so she slept with many men casually, even stealing her best friend Nel’s husband. Nel, as well as all the other wives of men Sula laid with, very betrayed by her actions and shunned her; turning Sula into the town pariah. Oppositely in Sula’s eyes it was Nel and the other women who had really been wrong. Sula claimed that Nel ended their friendship over a man and a relationship that was not even half as interesting as the one they shared.
The gist of this is that everyone has their own moral cold and no one can be completely good or bad. Sula’s good was in caring for her friend, even on her death bed, while her bad lied in having no regard for people’s “property.” Nel and the other women where innocent in that they cherished their husbands, never following their customs and staying faithful to their families. They were wrong to depict Sula as the devil and using her as an excuse for their slackness.
I’d have to say that this was a pretty awesome quote from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In everyone’s mind there is always an ongoing battle between one’s conscience and one’s immoral desires. Normally we go on our lives with these two conflicting parts of our minds going at it all day, however, we never really notice it, well at least I don’t. The theme of this book just seems to take me in and judging by this quote, I would have to say that this novel must be astounding, I would definitely pick it up on my spare time.
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