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Dr Jekyll And Hyde Chapter 1 Summary

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Stevenson sets the scene in typically mysterious fashion in the first chapter by describing Hyde and his house in a way that is fitting to his nefarious, mysterious personality. This is shown by the line “the marks of prolonged and sordid negligence” where Hyde’s door is“equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained”. The door on one side of the house is depicted as being “sordid”, in other words, “dirty” and unpleasant. Hyde’s door is without bell or knocker. Besides, the use of simile “like a fire in a forest” emphasises to the reader how unsavoury, threatening and miserable Hyde’s door looks. Overall, for the first time reading, we feel a foreshadowing that develops into the duality of man, at this point symbolised through the appearance of the door, one side leading to the kindheartedness of human; Meanwhile, Hyde’s neglected door is illustrated as “equipped with neither bell nor knocker”. From this, we are encouraged to continue reading as we want to know what’s going to happen next and what is behind those doors. …show more content…

The use of opposite colours, between “white hair” and the “dark night” time colour provides a sense of wicked temper to the reader. In addition, various striking, blunt, and punchy images can also be recognised as they imprint an immediate effect on us. The raging image from these extracts have all been intentionally directed to us to show an animalistic brutality within mankind by comparing to the ape and madman, their anger is with a “great flame”, using the language to show violence such as “brandishing the cane” and “clubbed him”, or even by the slightly onomatopoeic sound “shattered” . In spite of the fact he is seen doing the crime, he is not caught - this creates tension. The fact that Jekyll and Hyde are the same person is yet one true fact that Stevenson withholds until the

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