Chapter 7

Chapter 7 reveals how Hyde took a drug to become Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll kept sending his servant, Poole, to retrieve drugs for him. When he would return Jekyll would say it was not pure enough. In the Victorian Age drugs were primarily utilized by the wealthy because they were the only ones who could afford it. Today both rich and poor people use it because it is easier for everyone who wants it to get ahold of it. Jekyll could only get drugs because he was an individual who was considered high up in society. That is not true in society today. Yes, rich people such as celebrities do use drugs but other people not necessarily rich can obtain drugs also. Drug use has been around for a numerous amount of years; however, in the Victorian period there were not as many restrictions and limits on drugs, so it was easier to use/get. Many people who do use drugs often have completely different personalities when on or off of the drug, just like Hyde has. Drugs may alter someone's mood or hide their evil, but it cannot alter or hide it forever. Evilness will always prevail underneath the surface.

Chapter 6

In Chapter 6 is when Hyde is wanted for money, thousands of pounds. In the Victorian Age 1,000 pounds was an immense amount of money. One pound alone was a fair amount of money, but 1,000 pounds was a gross amount of money to be awarded to one individual. This shows that the government was willing to pay that much because they did not want an murdering, creepy, scoundrel on the loose to interfere with the perfect society. They thought that if a mass of money was to be awarded it would motivate people to find Hyde. In present time we tend to do the same thing. If a murderer is found then we either get awarded cash or an honorable mention.

A word that was mentioned in the text that can seem confounding to a modern time reader is the word "cabinet". In this book they talk about Dr. Jekyll being in the cabinet up the stairs. A cabinet in the Victorian Age is just the upper room in the house. It is like our modern day upstairs or attic depending on what type of household you may have. Jekyll/Hyde picks this room to stay in because it is the most secluded and private of the house to be in.

Chapters 4 and 5

In Chapters 4 and 5 Hyde tramples yet another individual, the old man. Before Hyde trampled a little girl around the age of 10 and in this chapter he tramples and elderly man. Both the really young and really old can be seen as pure and innocent. This exemplifies how in this era the middle aged were more worthy than others. I also think Hyde trampling these innocent people gives even more of an evil side to him. Another interesting point is that Hyde has never been photographed. Obviously people in the Victorian Age were not constantly taking pictures as we do now, but a few photos throughout life were very common for individuals to possess. This is another factor that makes the readers wonder why is he so mysterious and secretive because never having a photo taken is extremely odd.

Chapter 2 & 3-Quite at Ease

In Chapters 2 it creates an even more mysterious plot for the book. Mr. Utterson feeling very suspicious goes to look at the will he helped create for Dr. Jekyll. In his will it states that if Dr. Jekyll has a "disappearance or unexplained absence for any period exceeding three calenders months" Mr. Hyde shall be given all of his possessions (Stevenson 8). This is very peculiar because why would Dr. Jekyll give everything he owns to not even a so-called friend after he has passed away or disappeared. It is also very strange that if he has an absence for any time over three months then he gets it. It makes me wonder is Jekyll going to run away? Why three months? Three months is very specific and makes me wonder what is going on that I do not know.

When Utterson goes to Jekyll's home he is greeted by a servant. The manners of servitude is quite different than today. Servants are only to abide to the owner's house rules and cannot do anything other than that. Servants in this time period are supposed to be very well-mannered and are to wait on their "master" on hand and foot. In present time we do not even have servants in households. The servant for Dr. Jekyll, Poole, answers the door when Utterson knocks. Poole tells Utterson that Hyde has a key to the laboratory and that the servants have to obey him as well Jekyll. This implies to the audience that Hyde has done something that Jekyll cannot ever repay him for or he is blackmailing him.

In Chapter 3 Utterson attends Jekyll's party and stays extremely late just to converse with Jekyll and to question him about the will. Jekyll seems to be somewhat nervous. When Utterson talks to Jekyll privately he does not to seem be as well-mannered as in public; he actually comes off quite rude. This personifies how individuals in this time era are more concerned with how society perceives them.

Girl Gets Trampled-Chapter 1

In Chapter 1 of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Mr. Enfield tells Mr. Utterson how a young girl was trampled by a grown man that night. This shows in this society and time period how older generations, especially men, have the utmost power in society. Younger generations are looked down upon and treated with not as much respect and manners. Strangers seem to care more about other people in this novel reflecting how it may be in the time period of the 1880's. I think today in society it is a little bit different. Younger generations are still taught to have utmost respect for adults, but I do not think this always happen nowadays. In present time, teens and even children back talk to adults/parents and often times the adults do not do anything about it. If a younger person talked back to an adult in the time period of this book I infer that it would not be as acceptable. Hyde trampling the little girl gives the idea that she was no importance to him because of her age.