GCSE English Literature Revision Guide – The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and
Mr Hyde – Key Themes, Characters & Exam Practice – 100% Exam-Focused
– LAST UPDATED 2025
Who is the narrator of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
A reliable and neutral narrator.
What is the profession of Dr Gabriel Utterson?
He is a Victorian gentleman and a lawyer.
What mysterious location do Utterson and Enfield discover during their walk?
A bizarre and mysterious looking door attached to Dr Jekyll's house.
What incident involving Mr Hyde does Enfield recount?
Hyde trampled over a young girl without feeling any apparent guilt.
How does Utterson feel about Mr Hyde upon meeting him?
He is genuinely shocked by Hyde's appearance and finds him blunt and violent.
What does Utterson learn about Jekyll's will?
It names Hyde as the man to inherit Jekyll's fortune.
What happens to Sir Danvers Carew?
He is murdered by Hyde.
What is the significance of the murder weapon in Carew's murder?
It is Dr Jekyll's walking cane, linking him to the crime.
How does Dr Jekyll's behavior change after the murder of Carew?
He becomes increasingly isolated and no longer sees his friends.
What does Utterson discover about Dr Lanyon?
Lanyon is very ill and refuses to speak about Jekyll.
What does Poole request Utterson to do?
He asks Utterson to accompany him to Jekyll's home.
What do Utterson and Poole hear coming from Jekyll's laboratory?
Strange noises and requests for different chemicals.
What do Utterson and Poole find when they break down the door to the laboratory?
A small, deformed individual dressed in Jekyll's clothes and a new will naming Utterson as the inheritor.
What does Jekyll's confession reveal?
,That Jekyll is Hyde.
What does Utterson do after Jekyll disappears?
He reads Dr Lanyon's letter and Jekyll's confession.
What theme is explored through Utterson's investigation of Hyde?
The conflict between respectability and hidden vices.
What does Utterson's character represent in the novella?
Victorian moral beliefs and the struggle to maintain a respectable image.
What is the relationship between Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
Hyde is a manifestation of Jekyll's darker impulses.
What does the locked door symbolize in the story?
The barriers between Jekyll's respectable life and his hidden desires.
How does the novella portray the theme of duality?
Through the contrasting identities of Jekyll and Hyde.
What does Utterson's concern for Jekyll indicate about their friendship?
It shows loyalty and a desire to protect his friend.
What literary technique is used in the narrative style of the novella?
A third-person perspective that maintains suspense.
What moral lesson can be drawn from the story?
The dangers of repressing one's darker side.
What does Utterson do when he becomes concerned about his friend Jekyll?
He goes to speak to Dr. Lanyon about Hyde.
What does Dr. Lanyon give Utterson regarding Jekyll?
A letter that must not be read until Jekyll either disappears or dies.
What significant event occurs when Utterson is called to Jekyll's house at night?
Hyde's body is found in the laboratory.
What does Utterson do with Jekyll's new will?
He reads it and takes Jekyll's confession back to his house.
What revelation does Lanyon's letter contain about Jekyll and Hyde?
It reveals that Jekyll IS Hyde and vice versa.
What does Jekyll's confession explain to Utterson and the reader?
, It explains HOW and WHY he became Hyde.
What is the challenge posed in the revision activity regarding the plot?
To write down a summary of the plot without looking at notes.
Why does Stevenson choose to begin the novel with Utterson?
To establish a perspective that is grounded in reason and to build suspense.
Why does the novel finish with the perspectives of Lanyon and Jekyll?
To provide closure and reveal the deeper implications of Jekyll's transformation.
How does Stevenson's ordering of the plot contribute to the sense of mystery?
It gradually reveals information, creating suspense and engaging the reader's curiosity.
What genre conventions does Stevenson adapt from crime fiction and detective fiction?
He uses elements like mystery, investigation, and the gradual uncovering of truth to engage readers.
What is one key symbol in the novella and what does it represent?
The potion represents the duality of human nature and the struggle between good and evil.
What is another key symbol in the novella and its representation?
The door symbolizes the barrier between Jekyll's public persona and his hidden desires.
Identify a third key symbol in the novella and its meaning.
Hyde's appearance represents the darker side of Jekyll's personality and the consequences of repression.
What does the setting of the laboratory symbolize?
It symbolizes the scientific exploration of identity and the moral implications of Jekyll's experiments.
What is the significance of Utterson's character in the narrative?
He serves as the rational observer and detective figure, guiding the reader through the mystery.
How does Utterson's relationship with Jekyll enhance the plot?
It adds emotional depth and highlights the themes of friendship and betrayal.
What role does the theme of duality play in the novella?
It explores the conflict between the civilized self and the primal instincts within humans.
How does the structure of the novella affect the reader's experience?
It creates suspense and encourages readers to piece together the mystery alongside Utterson.
What is the overall impact of the symbols used in the novella?
They deepen the thematic exploration of identity, morality, and the human condition.
What does 'The Door' symbolize in the novel?
Mr Hyde – Key Themes, Characters & Exam Practice – 100% Exam-Focused
– LAST UPDATED 2025
Who is the narrator of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
A reliable and neutral narrator.
What is the profession of Dr Gabriel Utterson?
He is a Victorian gentleman and a lawyer.
What mysterious location do Utterson and Enfield discover during their walk?
A bizarre and mysterious looking door attached to Dr Jekyll's house.
What incident involving Mr Hyde does Enfield recount?
Hyde trampled over a young girl without feeling any apparent guilt.
How does Utterson feel about Mr Hyde upon meeting him?
He is genuinely shocked by Hyde's appearance and finds him blunt and violent.
What does Utterson learn about Jekyll's will?
It names Hyde as the man to inherit Jekyll's fortune.
What happens to Sir Danvers Carew?
He is murdered by Hyde.
What is the significance of the murder weapon in Carew's murder?
It is Dr Jekyll's walking cane, linking him to the crime.
How does Dr Jekyll's behavior change after the murder of Carew?
He becomes increasingly isolated and no longer sees his friends.
What does Utterson discover about Dr Lanyon?
Lanyon is very ill and refuses to speak about Jekyll.
What does Poole request Utterson to do?
He asks Utterson to accompany him to Jekyll's home.
What do Utterson and Poole hear coming from Jekyll's laboratory?
Strange noises and requests for different chemicals.
What do Utterson and Poole find when they break down the door to the laboratory?
A small, deformed individual dressed in Jekyll's clothes and a new will naming Utterson as the inheritor.
What does Jekyll's confession reveal?
,That Jekyll is Hyde.
What does Utterson do after Jekyll disappears?
He reads Dr Lanyon's letter and Jekyll's confession.
What theme is explored through Utterson's investigation of Hyde?
The conflict between respectability and hidden vices.
What does Utterson's character represent in the novella?
Victorian moral beliefs and the struggle to maintain a respectable image.
What is the relationship between Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?
Hyde is a manifestation of Jekyll's darker impulses.
What does the locked door symbolize in the story?
The barriers between Jekyll's respectable life and his hidden desires.
How does the novella portray the theme of duality?
Through the contrasting identities of Jekyll and Hyde.
What does Utterson's concern for Jekyll indicate about their friendship?
It shows loyalty and a desire to protect his friend.
What literary technique is used in the narrative style of the novella?
A third-person perspective that maintains suspense.
What moral lesson can be drawn from the story?
The dangers of repressing one's darker side.
What does Utterson do when he becomes concerned about his friend Jekyll?
He goes to speak to Dr. Lanyon about Hyde.
What does Dr. Lanyon give Utterson regarding Jekyll?
A letter that must not be read until Jekyll either disappears or dies.
What significant event occurs when Utterson is called to Jekyll's house at night?
Hyde's body is found in the laboratory.
What does Utterson do with Jekyll's new will?
He reads it and takes Jekyll's confession back to his house.
What revelation does Lanyon's letter contain about Jekyll and Hyde?
It reveals that Jekyll IS Hyde and vice versa.
What does Jekyll's confession explain to Utterson and the reader?
, It explains HOW and WHY he became Hyde.
What is the challenge posed in the revision activity regarding the plot?
To write down a summary of the plot without looking at notes.
Why does Stevenson choose to begin the novel with Utterson?
To establish a perspective that is grounded in reason and to build suspense.
Why does the novel finish with the perspectives of Lanyon and Jekyll?
To provide closure and reveal the deeper implications of Jekyll's transformation.
How does Stevenson's ordering of the plot contribute to the sense of mystery?
It gradually reveals information, creating suspense and engaging the reader's curiosity.
What genre conventions does Stevenson adapt from crime fiction and detective fiction?
He uses elements like mystery, investigation, and the gradual uncovering of truth to engage readers.
What is one key symbol in the novella and what does it represent?
The potion represents the duality of human nature and the struggle between good and evil.
What is another key symbol in the novella and its representation?
The door symbolizes the barrier between Jekyll's public persona and his hidden desires.
Identify a third key symbol in the novella and its meaning.
Hyde's appearance represents the darker side of Jekyll's personality and the consequences of repression.
What does the setting of the laboratory symbolize?
It symbolizes the scientific exploration of identity and the moral implications of Jekyll's experiments.
What is the significance of Utterson's character in the narrative?
He serves as the rational observer and detective figure, guiding the reader through the mystery.
How does Utterson's relationship with Jekyll enhance the plot?
It adds emotional depth and highlights the themes of friendship and betrayal.
What role does the theme of duality play in the novella?
It explores the conflict between the civilized self and the primal instincts within humans.
How does the structure of the novella affect the reader's experience?
It creates suspense and encourages readers to piece together the mystery alongside Utterson.
What is the overall impact of the symbols used in the novella?
They deepen the thematic exploration of identity, morality, and the human condition.
What does 'The Door' symbolize in the novel?
