Search for Mr Hyde
Lanyon and Jekyll have drifted apart because Jekyll became “too fanciful” for Lanyon and “began to go wrong in mind”. This is basically saying that Dr Jekyll started doing experiments that Lanyon did not approve of. The street in which Utterson finally confronts Mr Hyde is very silent, in spite of the usual “growl of London”. This “low growl” may depict Mr. Hyde’s animalistic nature. The unusual silence creates a feeling of anticipation and foreshadows an event. He also notices Mr Hyde’s footsteps specifically which jumps out from the silence and draws the reader’s attention towards Hyde.
Stevenson’s depiction of Mr. Hyde’s sudden arrival at the scene reveals Mr. Hyde’s criminal side. It is revealed that Mr. Utterson “had long grown accustomed” to the growing sound of a person’s footsteps, yet the sounds of Mr. Hyde’s footsteps are described as having :”suddenly” sprung out quite “distinctly”. This anomaly shows that Mr. Utterson is automatically put on alert, and that Mr. Hyde can be perceived as a threat, portraying him as a malevolent character. This is intensified by the fact that Mr. Utterson’s “attention had never before been so sharp and decisively arrested”. The use of the word “arrested” suggests Mr. Hyde’s criminality and the suddenness of his arrival makes him seem like a malevolent character.
Mr. Hyde’s shiftiness as Mr. Utterson first approaches him further reveals his character traits as well as intensifying previously established ones. The fact that “Mr. Hyde shrank back with a hissing intake of the breath” as he was approached by Mr. Utterson further intensifies Mr. Hyde’s sense of isolation. This is because the “hissing intake of breath” shows that Mr. Hyde is not used to being approached, let alone touched, by anybody. The use of diction, that is, the word “hissing”, makes Mr. Hyde seem animalistic. This is because it is normally animals that hiss rather than humans.
Mr. Hyde’s reactions during his conversation with Mr. Utterson make him seem mannerless and evil. The fact that “Mr. Hyde appeared to hesitate” when MR. Utterson asked to see his face shows that he is a secretive and shifty character. However, Hyde does proceed to show Mr. Utterson his face, but only after being “fronted about with an air of defiance”. This shows hat Mr. Hyde is a rude character because it seems like Mr. Hyde is only obeying Mr. Utterson out of a lack of choice. Mr. Hyde’s rudeness is further emphasized when he blames Mr. Utterson for having “liked”, a statement which is accompanied by a “flush of anger”. This makes Mr. Hyde a malevolent character because it shows that he has a number of negative qualities that can be associated with evil.
Mr. Hyde’s swift disappearance exemplifies his previously established character traits. He is recounted by Mr. Utterson as having “snarled around into a savage laugh”. The choice of the word “snarled” further portrays Hyde as animalistic, as if it only animals that snarl in attempt to threaten each other. Furthermore, the fact that Mr. Hyde has a “savage laugh” makes him appear to be frightening and threatening, hence malevolent.
Stevenson’s depiction of Mr. Hyde’s sudden arrival at the scene reveals Mr. Hyde’s criminal side. It is revealed that Mr. Utterson “had long grown accustomed” to the growing sound of a person’s footsteps, yet the sounds of Mr. Hyde’s footsteps are described as having :”suddenly” sprung out quite “distinctly”. This anomaly shows that Mr. Utterson is automatically put on alert, and that Mr. Hyde can be perceived as a threat, portraying him as a malevolent character. This is intensified by the fact that Mr. Utterson’s “attention had never before been so sharp and decisively arrested”. The use of the word “arrested” suggests Mr. Hyde’s criminality and the suddenness of his arrival makes him seem like a malevolent character.
Mr. Hyde’s shiftiness as Mr. Utterson first approaches him further reveals his character traits as well as intensifying previously established ones. The fact that “Mr. Hyde shrank back with a hissing intake of the breath” as he was approached by Mr. Utterson further intensifies Mr. Hyde’s sense of isolation. This is because the “hissing intake of breath” shows that Mr. Hyde is not used to being approached, let alone touched, by anybody. The use of diction, that is, the word “hissing”, makes Mr. Hyde seem animalistic. This is because it is normally animals that hiss rather than humans.
Mr. Hyde’s reactions during his conversation with Mr. Utterson make him seem mannerless and evil. The fact that “Mr. Hyde appeared to hesitate” when MR. Utterson asked to see his face shows that he is a secretive and shifty character. However, Hyde does proceed to show Mr. Utterson his face, but only after being “fronted about with an air of defiance”. This shows hat Mr. Hyde is a rude character because it seems like Mr. Hyde is only obeying Mr. Utterson out of a lack of choice. Mr. Hyde’s rudeness is further emphasized when he blames Mr. Utterson for having “liked”, a statement which is accompanied by a “flush of anger”. This makes Mr. Hyde a malevolent character because it shows that he has a number of negative qualities that can be associated with evil.
Mr. Hyde’s swift disappearance exemplifies his previously established character traits. He is recounted by Mr. Utterson as having “snarled around into a savage laugh”. The choice of the word “snarled” further portrays Hyde as animalistic, as if it only animals that snarl in attempt to threaten each other. Furthermore, the fact that Mr. Hyde has a “savage laugh” makes him appear to be frightening and threatening, hence malevolent.