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Key Characters and their Development in 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'
Evaluating characters as a writer's creation shows that you are engaging with a text at a much deeper level!
You will be familiar with their characteristics and main functions in the novel, and be aware that at as a short novel, none of the characters are truly developed, or 'fleshed out'. This helps to keep the focus on the main idea of a split-personality, and the unforeseen consequences of Jekyll's experiment. It also adds to the tension as the whole story is only about fifty pages long and could be read in one sitting...
Stevenson also had a challenge in making the duality of Jekyll believable. He does two things: firstly he leaves out some specific detailing and this adds to the mystery and horror. Secondly, he avoids confronting awkward details about 'them' which may undermine the readers' acceptance of his creation!
We could add, that as our imaginations are so powerful, he is playing with possible fears, and challenging his readers to confront the layers of our own personalities!
When you explore and weigh up how effectively Stevenson handles his materials, then you are developing your own critical response.
You should always refer to your own text when working through these examples. These quotations are for reference only.
