English 11 Ms. Reilly

Summer Reading Assignment 2020- Extra credit opportunity

This summer you have been assigned to read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the gothic short novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. A gothic novel incorporates elements of horror, mystery and suspense.

While reading this novel, please use these optional questions and benchmarks to help guide your reading schedule. Extra credit for these completed questions will be counted towards your first grade of the new year, the summer reading quiz. The quiz is on Tuesday, September 8th.

Google classroom will be set up over the summer. Please check your school email for information once schedules are completed. There will also be an audiobook version of our novel on my teacher website as well as on google classroom

Have a good summer!

Ms. Reilly

Chapters 1 -5: Story of the Door/ Search for Mr. Hyde/Dr. Jekyll Was Quite at Ease/

The Carew Murder Case/Incident of the Letter (Benchmark goal- two weeks)

1. What story does Enfield tell when he and Utterson pass the door? What does hearing the story cause Utterson to do?

2. After their meeting, what do Enfield and Utterson both suspect about the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde? What evidence does the text give for this suspicion? (include a direct quotation and page number)

3. What do you predict that Utterson will do to help his old friend, who he suspects is in serious trouble?

4. What picture do you have in your mind of Edward Hyde’s appearance? Why would the author avoid describing him fully?

5. Describe your reactions to the characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the end of this section.

6. Are you confident that Edward Hyde will no longer bother Dr. Jekyll? Why or why not?

7. All of the characters in the story who see Hyde comment about how uncomfortable his appearance makes them feel. In your opinion, how might Hyde’s “looks” be a symbol of something else? Why would this make people feel uncomfortable?

Chapters 6- 8: Remarkable Incident of Dr. Lanyon/ Incident at the window/ The Last Night (Benchmark goal- one week)

1. What happens to Dr. Lanyon at the beginning of this section? What suspicions do you have about the cause of this occurrence?

2. Why would the author, Stevenson, avoid telling us what happened to Lanyon? What other important details are left unexplained at this point? (make a list)

3. What do Utterson and Poole find when they break into the office?

4. What did Utterson and Poole expect to find in the office that is not in the office? How do they explain this mystery?

5. What is the weather like as Utterson and Poole hurry to Jekyll’s house? What does this represent?

6. Do you think that the names Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are symbolic? What do you think they stand for?

7. Why is isolation dangerous for Dr. Jekyll? What does he sacrifice by shunning his friends and why does he do this? (include a direct quotation and page number)

Chapter 9 -10: Dr. Lanyon’s Narrative. Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case (Benchmark goal- one week)

1. What did Lanyon see that shocked him so much? How did the experience affect him?

2. What does Jekyll say about his childhood/youth in the letter to Utterson? How do the actions of his youth lead him to his experiments with the transforming drug? (include a direct quotation and page number)

3. How does Jekyll’s attitude toward his dual personality change as he uses the drug more often?

4. What physical results occur with continued use of the drug?

5. What is your reaction to the end of the story? Did you enjoy it or dislike it? Why?

6. Evaluate the decision that Jekyll/Hyde makes. Do you think it is a reasonable decision or a hasty action arising from a tormented mind? Explain.