Key learning points

1. Lanyon may seem like a foil to Jekyll, but ultimately he also succumbs to his curiosity
2. Lanyon and Jekyll have opposing scientific views: Lanyon more conventional, whereas Jekyll pushes boundaries
3. By including their two first person narratives at the end of the novella, Stevenson invites comparison between the men
4. Despite the tension between them, Lanyon continues to protect Jekyll's reputation until after his death
5. Lanyon makes an active choice to witness Hyde's transformation, suggesting that he shares in the blame for his death

Keywords

• Foil - In literature, a foil is a secondary character whose purpose is to highlight or accentuate some aspect of the main character.

• Pedant - A pedant is someone who is excessively concerned with minor details.

• Rational - If something is based on reason or logic then it is rational.

• Complicity - Complicity is when someone is involved in an activity with others that is unlawful or morally wrong.

• Concealment - If you are hiding something or preventing it being known, this is known as concealment.

Common misconception