How Does Stevenson Engage His Readers in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Authors Avatar

How Does Stevenson Engage His Readers?

In Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Stevenson uses many ways of engaging his reader throughout the novel. He applies these methods in this way to keep the reader interested in the book.

    To start off with, Stevenson uses Narrative Methods. These methods add to the suspense and heighten the emotional impact.  One use of narrative methods is the fact he tells the story from several perspectives. One chapter of the book is set out as a type of police report with the maidservant recalling what happened the night that Danvers was murdered. The way you can tell it is a report of some kind is because of the extra bits of information added – “(as the maid described it)” (page 47, line 2). This chapter, apart from giving you a different view of events, makes the readers realise that this man was an important figure in society and this story has gone from a mystery story (with the mystery being the nightmare Enfield had, the door and the strange man named Hyde) to a murder-mystery story as now there is a killer on the loose. This will give the story a frightening twist for the readers but the use of the language makes them keep reading particularly as it Hyde is revealed to be the killer in chapter 4. This twist gives the readers momentum to keep reading as they have already learnt that Hyde has no conscience really and has an inhuman side which can snap at any moment making him all the more dangerous but making the story all the more exciting – “And then all of a sudden he broke out in a great flame of anger, stamping with his foot, brandishing the cane, and carrying on like a madman” (page 46-47).

This helps as all of the Narrators (bar the maidservant) were all reliable figures in society and truthful characters who never dream of lying. Mr Utterson – “Mr Utterson the lawyer was a man of rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile” (Page 29 line 1), this explains he did not have a sense of humour and would not joke around but tell the story as it is. This will help keep the reader interested as if it was a story told by a tramp then the Victorians would never have believed it as they have no reason to be truthful whereas Utterson is a lawyer and was well respected so there’s every reason to trust him. Stevenson introduces him as a calm, gentle man, who just wants to lead a quiet life (making him all the more believable) - “He was austere with himself; drank gin when he was alone” (Page 29 line 9.) This sentence is very important as well as it tells the reader that he is very strict with himself and sets himself boundaries.

Join now!

   What also attracts the reader’s attention is they think that the story has finished chronologically at the end of chapter 8. The Victorians didn’t like mystery stories finishing with loose ends not tied up, so he leads on to the two real documents by saying – “They trudged back to his office to read the two narratives in which this mystery was now to be explained”. This ends the chapter on a cliffhanger, therefore adding to the suspense and inviting the reader to get involved with the conclusion of the mystery.

    Stevenson made sure not to ...

This is a preview of the whole essay