vietdrjekyll

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde may seem like an odd addition to a unit on Vietnam, but this book stirs thought about man's shadow side. War is hell and what man is able to do in war is frightening, especially to the combatants. Memories of the horrors of war haunt men and women who have seen what war truly is in a way that only they can truly understand.

I chose to include this book in an attempt to try to understand the inner struggle of those veterans who saw how war can bring about the shadow side of man, how at times drugs are used to try to control the actions and/or memories of the shadow side, and how vital it is to support those still suffering from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.

This idea is not for the immature student or for those seeking to judge. Use this book and this idea only with those students who are mature enough to handle a discussion of the psychological effect of war. Having mature students compare and contrast this book to the experiences of some veterans of the war in Vietnam will lead to high level discussions of understanding.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde By: Robert Louis Stevenson Discussion Guide by: Pat Bowes Setting: London, England

Main Characters:
Dr. Henry Jekyll
Mr. Edward Hyde
Mr. Utterson - lawyer
Mr. Richard Enfield - well-known man
Dr. Hastie Lanyon
Poole -- elderly servant
Sir Danvers Carew -- elderly gentleman
Inspector Newcomen - Scotland Yard
Mr. Guest -- clerk
Bradshaw -- a footman

Read Carefully Comprehension Questions: Answer each question with very brief but accurate responses. Most of the questions can be answered in less than one minute and involve a response of 5 words or less. Write your responses on the sheet included in this packet and turn it in. These responses will be graded. If you lose the sheet and do not answer the questions, you will receive 0 points.

Discussion Guide: Follow the schedule and directions that apply to each section. These responses will take you longer to form your thoughts and write a good response. You have to think more deeply. These are not 5 word responses.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ANSWER ALL OF THE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS. READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY.

Reading and Discussion Schedule

Section #1: “Story of the Door” through ‘Incident at the Window

Section #2: “The Last Night” through the end of the story.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde TEST: Section #1: -- Comprehension Questions / Simple Interpretation

Section #1

1) Early in the story something happens to a young girl. What happens to her? Who
did it?

2) Why does Utterson not want Hyde to know about Jekyll’s will?

3) What does Utterson mean when he says that Jekyll is “in deep waters”?

4) Who did Mr. Hyde beat and kill?

Section #1: Discussion Guide Answer a minimum of 3 of the following section #1 questions: 1) Describe the building Messrs. Enfield and Utterson discuss while walking. Who do
you think would live in such a place? If you prefer to draw the building rather than
use words to describe it, please do so.

2) What does Dr. Jekyll mean when he says, “I will tell you one thing: the moment I
choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde.”?

3) Earlier Jekyll had asked Utterson to promise to help Hyde. Now Jekyll says “I
swear to God I will never set eyes on him again.” Do you think Jekyll is being
forthright with Utterson?

4) Once Mr. Hyde disappears, how does Dr. Jekyll change? What do you think
brought about this change?

5) Do you think it is wise for Jekyll to lead a life of extreme seclusion? Why or why
not?

TEST - Section #2 Comprehension Questions / Simple Interpretation

1) After Poole and Utterson knocked down the door, they found Mr. Hyde laying on the
floor. Stevenson writes that it was the “body of a self destroyer.” What did he mean
by that statement?

2) Before his disappearance, Jekyll changed his will. Name the first and then the
second person to whom Jekyll bequeathed his possessions?

3) What happened to Mr. Hyde as Dr. Lanyon watched him drink his potion?

4) Who was Mr. Hyde?

5) According to Dr. Jekyll, what caused the potion to stop working?

Section #2: Discussion Guide

You must answer questions 7, 8, and 11. Then answer any two other questions of your choice from section #2.

1) In our everyday parlance, we often use the phrase, “Jekyll and Hyde.” What would it
mean if someone referred to you as a “Jekyll and Hyde”? Are you a Jekyll and
Hyde? Explain.

2) What did Henry Jekyll do to try to control himself? Was this a good idea? How can
you apply the lessons of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to your life?

3) When and why did Dr. Jekyll feel “younger, lighter, happier in body”?

4) Dr. Jekyll says that “... all human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of
good and evil ...” Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

5) What did Henry Jekyll mean when he said, “My devil had been long caged, he came
out roaring.”? What happened as a result of this?

6) Earlier in the story Dr. Jekyll had turned to religion. Why didn’t it work for him?

*7) What life lessons did you learn from reading this story?

*8) In recent years real life stories of evil have dominated the news: The O.J.
      Simpson murder trial and the Jon Benet murder are just two examples. Why do
      people follow cases such as these so closely and with such intense interest?
      Should we avoid following these stories?

9) World famous psychologist, C. G. Jung, once wrote that we become what we do.
What do you think he meant? Do you agree with him?

10) Take a position on the following statement and provide support for your feelings:
“Doing evil always makes us evil, but doing good does not always make us good.”

*11) Frevel is a German word denoting a careless attitude. It comes from the
      English word frivolous. Persons who carelessly take drugs without due regard
      for the potential dangers of their experience are experiencing frevel. Can you
      think of any common ways, other than drugs, that people express frevel?