THE DOUBLE: Dr JEKYLL and Mr HYDE vs THE PICTURE of DORIAN GRAY

The 2 Liberty Classics were the summer reading proposals. How intriguing! Mystery, murders, moral wickedness, Gothic atmospheres, the dark side of London, secret pleasures, beastly sins, the ambiguous Victorian society.  Should man fight or accept the irrational impulses in human nature? 

Both novels share the theme of the double. Dr Jekyll and Dorian Gray have a split personality: the good nature prevails at first, but evil experiences slowly make the dark side triumph. Both  overreachers want to go beyond human limits: the former uses his scientific knowledge to do experiments against the laws of nature and God; the latter sells his soul to the devil in exchange of eternal youth and beauty. Their double identity mirrors the double face of the Victorian middle class, full of hypocrisy and obsessed with respectability. 

How involving to analyse both novels starting from relevant quotes. How meaningful to move from quotes to key themes and stylistic elements. How energizing to feel alive in the process of learning: our voices and comments bringing the two classic novels back to life! This is the Other School. 

Our next move will be to watch one or more film versions of the two original novels and to compare and contrast the different works of art. A great way to develop our critical thinking and to appreciate art in all its forms.  

By 4LSAC & 5LSAC