The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

    AQA
    GCSE

    Gabriel Utterson, a lawyer of rugged countenance, investigates the disturbing connection between his respectable friend Dr Henry Jekyll and the troglodytic criminal Edward Hyde. As Hyde's acts of violence escalate to the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, Jekyll becomes increasingly erratic and reclusive, leading Utterson to suspect blackmail or insanity. The narrative structure shifts from a detective mystery to a psychological horror, culminating in the discovery of Hyde's suicide and the retrieval of two confession letters. These documents reveal that Jekyll synthesized a chemical solution to separate his dual nature, eventually losing control to the parasitic and pure evil of Hyde. The text serves as a profound allegory for the consequences of Victorian repression and the duality of human consciousness.

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    Objectives
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    Exam Tips
    4
    Pitfalls
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    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • AO1: Maintain a critical, conceptualized line of argument regarding Stevenson's presentation of duality, repression, or scientific transgression.
    • AO2: Analyse structural devices, specifically the fragmented narrative perspectives (Utterson, Lanyon, Jekyll) and the epistolary form, alongside language analysis.
    • AO3: Integrate contextual factors such as Victorian physiognomy, Darwinian regression, or the crisis of religious faith to illuminate the text's allegorical nature.
    • AO1: Select precise, judicious references from outside the extract to support the argument, demonstrating whole-text understanding.

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have identified the metaphor, but you must explain how it contributes to the presentation of Hyde as a primitive force"
    • "Your context regarding Victorian reputation is accurate; now link it specifically to Utterson's refusal to open the letter"
    • "You have analysed the extract well, but your response is unbalanced; you must include specific evidence from the wider novel"
    • "Avoid asserting that the reader feels 'scared'; instead, analyse how the Gothic setting creates an atmosphere of claustrophobia"

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • AO1: Maintain a critical, conceptualized line of argument regarding Stevenson's presentation of duality, repression, or scientific transgression.
    • AO2: Analyse structural devices, specifically the fragmented narrative perspectives (Utterson, Lanyon, Jekyll) and the epistolary form, alongside language analysis.
    • AO3: Integrate contextual factors such as Victorian physiognomy, Darwinian regression, or the crisis of religious faith to illuminate the text's allegorical nature.
    • AO1: Select precise, judicious references from outside the extract to support the argument, demonstrating whole-text understanding.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Allocate 5-10 minutes for planning; identify the extract's location in the narrative arc immediately to contextualize the analysis
    • 💡Ensure at least 50% of the response addresses the 'whole text' bullet point of the prompt to access the full range of AO1 marks
    • 💡Memorize key quotations for Utterson and Lanyon, not just Jekyll/Hyde, to discuss the significance of the narrative perspective
    • 💡Use the extract to anchor detailed AO2 analysis (language/structure) and the wider text to drive the AO1 conceptual argument

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Treating the extract in isolation and failing to address the 'whole text' requirement of the rubric
    • Providing 'bolt-on' context (e.g., biographical details of Stevenson's nurse) that does not illuminate the specific textual detail
    • Asserting generic effects such as 'this creates mystery' or 'this makes the reader want to read on' without specific analysis
    • Confusing the novella with film adaptations, particularly regarding the physical transformation or Jekyll's moral culpability

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

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