Jekyll and Hyde Chapter 9

Lanyon's narrative is a flash-back
1. Lanyon's letter takes reader back to middle of the main narrative
  1. Shifting narrative makes the story feel quite fragmented, as if the truth is only being revealed in parts
2. Before Jekyll shut himself away, he sent a letter asking Lanyon to force open his cabinet and take one of the drawers
3. The "blood-red" colour of the chemicals in the drawer hints at the sinister and mysterious nature of Jekyll's experiments
  1. Even though Lanyon can "make no sense" at what some of the chemicals are - shows how far Jekyll has strayed from traditional science
4. In this chapter, we finally hear what scared Lanyon in Chapter 6
  1. First person narrative makes events seem more believable
Lanyon meets Hyde for the first time
1. When the messenger arrives, Lanyon doesn't know that it is Hyde - but the reader does
  1. This creates tension - we know what he is capable of
2. Hyde arrives at midnight - Stevenson frequently links Hyde with the night to emphasise his link with secret deeds and hidden desires
3. Lanyon also experiences odd feeling that other characters have around Hyde
  1. Lanyon thought this was just "personal distaste", but later realises it's caused by something "much deeper in the nature of man"
  2. Dual Nature of Man
    1. Meeting Hyde causes Lanyon to confront an unpleasant truth about human nature - that everyone has evil side
Lanyon's curiosity leads him to discover Jekyll's secret
1. Hyde asks Lanyon if the "greed of curiosity" has got the better of him and offers to let Lanyon watch him take the potion - Lanyon sees him turn into Jekyll
  1. Hyde says if Lanyon sees Jekyll's discovery, it would open "new avenues to fame and power", but it would also "stagger the unbelief of Satan" - shows how knowledge which challenges God's order is both attractive and dangerous
2. Stevenson describes the transformation vividly - Hyde's face became "suddenly black"
  1. Detail highlights how distressing it would be to witness
3. After seeing the transformation, Lanyon says that his "life is shaken to its roots"
  1. Everything he believes in has been shattered - Jekyll has proven to Lanyon that the type of science he denied is real
4. Although this chapter gives more information - Stevenson doesn't explain why the transformation happened
  1. There are some things that only Jekyll can explain, which increases anticipation

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Jekyll and Hyde Chapter 9

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