'Jekyll and Hyde' Chapter 1: The Story of The Door
I can explore the importance of setting in the opening chapter of ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’.
'Jekyll and Hyde' Chapter 1: The Story of The Door
I can explore the importance of setting in the opening chapter of ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Both the door and the lack of window links to concealment and mystery
- The door is a threshold, linking to the gothic trope of liminality
- The appearance of the door suggests disregard for the facade of respectability expected in gentile Victorian society
- The door is an important threshold to starting the mystery that novella looks to solve
Common misconception
The story takes place in a dark, gloomy and traditionally Gothic setting.
Stevenson deliberately juxtaposes the building Hyde enters with the pleasant and well-to-do neighbourhood.
Keywords
Symbol - A symbol is when a material object represents something more abstract.
Concealment - Concealment is the act of hiding the truth about something.
Façade - A façade can mean the outside of a building or a deceptive appearance.
Threshold - A threshold can mean a point of entry, but can also mean the point of beginning.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson for this lesson.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
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