Mr. Utterson

1. Mr. Utterson By NionaKyhle - Kahr

2. First impressions as a reader: • ‘The perfect Victorian gentlemen’ • Well respected • Un exciting character • Very routine-like; “It was his custom Sunday” • Very punctual/exact; “soberly and gratefully to bed” • Not a man of strong passions • Calm and rational • Loyal • Dull and proper • “lean, long, dusty, dreary” • - “yet somehow lovable”

3. As the story goes on . . . We begin to realize . . . • He consistently seeks to preserve order • Does not gossip • Guards his friends’ reputations as though they were his own • He investigates the super-natural Jekyll and Hyde sequence of events but never begins to even consider that something uncanny might be going on! • Lacks imagination

4. In the novel . . • Mr. Utterson is used as a narrative device He (himself): • spends much of the novel trying to advise and help Jekyll, Jekyll recognizes that he is a good friend, but rejects all his offers of help. • At no stage does he consider that Jekyll + Hyde are the same person

5. Themes associated with Mr.Utterson Contrast – • His normality/sanity in comparison to Jekyll’s • His sense of shock and horror when he first meets Hyde is, by contrast to his normal reaction to things,irrational: “not all these points together could explain the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing and fear with which MrUtterson regarded him.”

6. Duality – • The knowing of both Jekyll and Hyde (when they are the same person) • Change of beliefs (doesn’t know what to believe anymore after seeing Jekyll transform) Madness- • The complete insanity of Jekyll’s case that he investigates

7. Religion- • ‘Not a man of science’ • Often refers to ‘god’ e.g. seeing Jekyll transform; “Oh god forgive us, god forgive us!!” • Simply relies on religion as a last resort, but feels that Jekyll’s case completely contradicts it. Social expectation- • Very socially respected within the community • Guards his friends reputations as if they were his own

8. The themes are important to the story because . . • Social expectation shows his significant place in society, also, if there wasn’t any, Jekyll wouldn’t have to have the urge to transform into Hyde. • Dualityshows a contrast between the characters at different levels of the novel. • Religion adds a dispute between science and Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. • Madness shows the seriousness of Jekyll’s situation with Hyde and the danger that he is in. • Contrast shows a significant difference in characters and their motives throughout the novel.

9. Thank you for watching and have a BRILLINOSIC DAY!!