Write an essay that compares Dr. Jekyll’s repulsive indulgence in Mr. Hyde with any sort of addiction. Include the various stages of Dr. Jekyll’s association with Mr. Hyde and the various stages by which one becomes drawn into evil. Is Dr. Jekyll culpable of the crimes of Mr. Hyde? Why or why not? Finally, after Hyde commits murder, what evidence is there that Jekyll never thoroughly stopped “loving” Hyde, and so was never really resolute in his decision to quit Hyde permanently?
The book, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, relates to addiction to drugs in various ways. The story and addiction is related by giving into desire, the inability to control it, and not being able to see what is wrong with the addiction.
ReplyDeleteOne instance in which these two topics are similar is how people fold to their wants.
Dr. Jekyll says, “But the temptation of a discovery so singular and profound at last overcame the suggestions of alarm.” This quote expresses how desires and feelings can take over someone when they are making a life changing decision. Making decisions based solely on feeling is extremely dangerous, because it leaves very little room for reason. This quote also shows that Dr. Jekyll knows that there may be some terrible consequences, but he goes on with it anyway. It shows that getting drawn into evil can take time. In the beginning, Mr. Hyde was just a sort of escape for Dr. Jekyll. As it continued, it became deeper than that and Dr. Jekyll even starts to feel more tempted when he is just himself. This is because he experienced pure evil, and it is starting to show, even in someone who is usually a good person. There are many reasons why people give into drug usage, and they can range from peer pressure to depression. Both of these are reasons why one would desire to use something so damaging, even if they know the cost.
Addiction and this book go hand in hand, because they both show that it can be difficult
to stop and control it. A quote from the book is, “But the hand which I now saw, clearly enough, in the yellow light of a mid-London morning, lying half shut on the bedclothes, was lean, corded, knuckly, of a dusky pallor and thickly shaded with a swart growth of hair. It was the hand of Edward Hyde.” This quote was describing a time when Dr. Jekyll could no longer control when he would transform into Mr. Hyde. Just like this, when one becomes addicted to a drug, they can not resist it. In fact, many times their life becomes centered and revolves around that drug and the addiction that comes along with it.
Lastly, these two are related because they both may not be able to see a flaw in their actions. In this book Dr. Jekyll says, “And yet when I looked upon that ugly idol in the glass, I was conscious of no repugnance, rather of a leap of welcome.” While the other characters were so disgusted by the sight of Edward Hyde, Dr. Jekyll saw no problem with it. He knew that this was a part of him, and he became so used to it. Many with addiction tend to stop caring about what they are doing, because they become accustomed to it. Other people are able to see how their addiction is affecting them and others around them, but the person addicted may not be able to.
Dr. Jekyll is definitely responsible for the actions of Mr. Hyde. Technically, Mr. Hyde is just the evil side of Dr. Jekyll. Even though they are not the same person, they are one. In this way, this relationship is similar to the Trinity, except the Trinity is pure goodness. One quote that struck me to show that Dr. Jekyll never stopped “loving” Mr. Hyde after the murder was, “As the acuteness of this remorse began to die away, it was succeeded by a sense of joy.” Following the murder, Dr. Jekyll was distressed and praying for forgiveness, but that subsided and happiness appeared.
Melaina, I really like your comparison and how you related the book to addiction. I think your perspective is very insightful.
DeleteI really like how you pointed out how some people don’t really see that they have an addiction. I also liked how you used many quotes to tie the book and the addiction you picked together.
DeleteGood essay! I liked your use of quotes as evidence. It made your arguments strong as the use of evidence allowed for your points to be very logical. Well done!
DeleteThe story of Jekyll and Hyde is a tale of good vs. evil, while also being a story of man vs.
ReplyDeletescience. It explores a man who makes a scientific breakthrough and is able to split himself in two. The two parts are the good and evil sides of Dr. Henry Jekyll. He calls his evil counterpart Mr. Hyde. The relationship between the two and their actions progresses throughout the story until only one can remain.
Dr. Jekyll’s repulsive indulgence in Mr. Hyde is similar to that of an addiction. He starts
slowly and believes that nothing will come from his actions. It is reminiscent of a drug addiction. In the beginning of Dr. Jekyll’s trials, he doesn’t face any consequences from shifting to Hyde’s body. He feels younger and freer by breaking the laws of nature. These feelings are like highs for Jekyll. This is the first stage of his problem, experimentation and recreational use. Like an addict, he begins living for his next “high.” Jekyll finds himself obsessed with when he can shift to Hyde again. The feeling has him giddy and curious, even though he feels some guilt. This is the second stage, habit forming. This habit starts harmlessly and evolves until it gets in the way of his normal life, entering into the third stage of full addiction. Eventually, he comes to hate those urges because they take over his life. Leading him down the slippery slope to hating himself by association to the addiction. This is the final stage of self loathing and guilt.
While Jekyll’s obsession with Hyde is like a user’s sick relationship with their drug, it is
also a cautionary tale that warns readers of evil in the world. Satan has a grasp over the material world. Satan starts slowly, chipping away souls, seeking their ruin. Jekyll found evil through Hyde. He released his control over the evil in his life and let it run rampant. Satan works so hard to overthrow the Holy Spirit’s hold on our consciences to drive us to a life of sin. At first, it is like Jekyll’s first experiences as Hyde. The feeling is freeing and youthfully foolish. When there are no obvious consequences, only the trivial marks upon his judgement, Dr. Jekyll feels free to keep indulging in Hyde’s evil. When the little evil moments snowball into murder and there are real consequences, then Jekyll sees what he has been doing. However, he is tricked by the ways of Satan to think he has gone too far, to feel unforgivable and too far gone. That’s how evil thrives on Earth. Satan prowls the world for souls, tricks them into sin, makes them comfortable in their sin, and then brings them unbearable amounts of shame.
Nice work, Gina! It was a good essay that was very well supported. I also liked how you tied everything back into Satan, which makes the direness of the situation all the more known.
Delete(Part two)
ReplyDeleteDr. Jekyll is capable of the crimes committed by Mr. Hyde. He would never commit them
because of his goodness and conscience. However, while Mr. Hyde is his own being, he is the evil counterpart to Dr. Jekyll. Before Dr. Jekyll made the scientific breakthrough of splitting himself in two and shifting between these two as separate entities, he harbored a mixture of good and evil inside of just Dr. Jekyll. This means that all of Mr. Hyde’s urges and evil tendencies were at one point controlled by the good in Dr. Jekyll. In theory, Dr. Jekyll was able to commit those crimes, but the good in him would have held him back. This proves that humans should keep their evil and good because they’re meant to have both.
When Hyde commits murder and is wanted around town, Jekyll hides and protects
him. He refuses to truly blame Mr. Hyde’s disgusting ways. He still loved Mr. Hyde. He loved being him and felt strong urges to shift back to him. This was made evident when he began changing over to Mr. Hyde without anything prompting it. He told everyone, including himself, that he was done with Mr. Hyde. Supposedly, he saw the evil Hyde was doing and felt guilt for the crimes “he” committed. Even though he wrote the letter advising others not to go through with what he did. Even though he said his findings were evil. Even though he testified that he was scared of Mr. Hyde, he refused to take responsibility for him. He saw Mr. Hyde as a mistake, but not as himself. He separated himself and then tried to release the claim over his evil. Dr. Jekyll loved Mr. Hyde because he loved how he felt when he was him. He had the ability to give in to his evil temptations without the consequences, and Dr. Jekyll loved that. He got to be perfect when he was Jekyll. He was a great professor and was loved greatly. He had money and resources and could also be a horrible person without anyone ever knowing. The good in Dr. Jekyll might want to believe what he said about never releasing Hyde to the world again. However, when he separated his good from his evil, he gave up the right to control his evil. Mr. Hyde was no longer under Jekyll’s control.
Overall, there was a struggle throughout the tale until Jekyll had to renounce Hyde. He
had an addiction to evil and fell into its grasp. However, Jekyll loves Hyde and will not be able to let go of him. This shows how science can be used for evil when taken too far. Some discoveries are simply inhumane. Jekyll and Hyde cannot exist at the same time, and therefore cannot exist in harmony.
Gina, this is a great essay! I really liked how you talked about how he slowly became more and more addicted to this transformation, just like people who are addicted to drugs.
DeleteDr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story about a failed science experiment. A man was able to split himself into two; good and evil. It’s very similar to a drug addiction. The story can be related to addiction because even though it is harmful Jekyll doesn’t want to get rid of it, the feeling of being Hyde feels good, he couldn’t stop even if he tried and he doesn’t have to weigh in his conscience.
ReplyDeleteJekyll knows that Hyde is harmful. He has turned into him many times and has experienced being Hyde. While Jekyll convinced himself that he dislikes Hyde, he never tries to find a true solution. It seemed as though he stopped his scientific research on the matter and didn’t even try to find a long term solution. This can be related to addiction, especially drug addiction. When a person is at their lowest and is sleeping on the streets because of their actions they may want to stop, but as soon as it comes to actually checking into rehab or getting help many back out. People with addiction don’t want a permanent solution. They might be embarrassed or cold but they don’t want a long term solution until they get better. This is the same for Jekyll. He truly doesn’t want to get any better.
The feeling Jekyll gets when he transforms is mentioned in the book. It is said that he feels like he is defying nature and he feels younger and stronger. This is similar to an addiction. The “high” is what people chase whenever they become addicted. That first feeling of euphoria can trigger a lifelong struggle. That is how it was for Jekyll. It also explained why he didn’t try as hard for a cure. He liked the feeling Hyde gave him. It made him feel powerful even though he consciously knows that it was not good, like a drug addict. They know they shouldn’t be doing drugs but the feeling overrides the sensible part of the brain.
Shortly after Jekyll found a way to transform himself, he began to see himself transforming in his sleep until he began to not control it. This is similar to drug addiction. A person who is using may convince themselves that they are in complete control when using a substance but it can quickly spiral just as it happened to Dr Jekyll. The urges to use a drug become too great and they find themselves using it when they don’t want to, just as Dr Jekyll began to transform even though he didn’t want to.
When Hyde does things like murder Sir Danvers Carew Jekyll feels as though he is not responsible for it. He believes that when he is transformed into Hyde, it is not really him doing that bad thing. The same could be said to a person using drugs. They may rob a store to get money or steal to help feed their addiction. They excuse themselves by claiming it wasn’t really them because they were high. It wasn’t really them because they were on drugs. The same goes for Dr Jekyll. He claimed that it wasn’t him doing anything wrong because he wasn’t doing it, it was Hyde. This mentality can be dangerous because it falsely claims that they are free of conscience.
The story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde relates closely to the addiction in drugs. Dr Jekyll was addicted to Mr Hyde and could never truly get rid of him. Jekyll doesn’t think he’s responsible, likes the feeling of being Hyde, and it becomes involuntary.
Good job, Lani! I liked how you talked about Dr. Jekyll not wanting a permanent solution.
DeleteLani, I liked how you stated that the experiment was a failed experiment. I also liked how you talked about people wanted to find something that can help them right now.
DeleteAddiction tears apart the mind, the soul, and the body and the fragile relationship that must be maintained between them. Through reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, one can come to find many themes that align with addiction. Dr. Jekyll spent the better part of his adult years struggling with his compulsion to Mr. Hyde, just like many people deal with today. Addiction comes in many different forms, people often immediately associate drugs with it though. Gambling and Dr. Jekyll have many similarities that align with each other.
ReplyDeleteIn the 1980s, gambling was officially listed as a true addiction that people needed to be aware of. People become addicted to gambling for many different reasons. The chemical, scientific reason is that gambling stimulates the reward system in the brain. It is like getting a “high” or a rush of adrenaline. People tend to experience this when they win, so they chase that feeling. This leads to their addiction. There are many things though that cause people to start gambling in the first place. Some people become addicted to it just because they found it fun and can no longer restrain themselves from playing. Others are trying to win money to support their family, pay their bills, or maybe get enough money for medical bills or treatment. Gambling takes hold of many people, but no reason is any less serious than the last.
In the beginning of attempting his treacherous experiment, he truly believes that what he is doing will better mankind. At this point, he can already be associated with some gamblers. Some people gamble to try to get enough money to support their family. They believe they are doing it for the betterment of their family. Then, Dr. Jekyll becomes obsessed with completing his experiment with a successful outcome. He cannot stop until he knows that he has succeeded in all that he expected. This is just like gamblers in the sense that they find themselves becoming addicted to the idea of success before they are completely addicted to the act. Next, Dr. Jekyll was successful with his experiment, but he wanted to continue to learn about. For so long it had been all he had ever known, he couldn’t quite give it up yet. Gamblers can be successful but they always have the pull of possibly being able to make a little more money. Maybe they did go to a casino and win two thousand dollars, but they have the opportunity to make more, but losing it is more likely, but they ignore this fact because they aren’t ready to give up yet. Both Dr. Jekyll and the gambler have hit that high, and they aren’t ready to give it up. Finally, Dr. Jekyll is aware that he is hurting himself and his goodness through constantly transforming into Mr. Hyde, but he gets a feeling when he becomes the other man that he can’t run away from yet. The gambler often knows that he doesn’t need to keep going back to the casino, that it is not only hurting his health but his family too. But he had a taste of a win and is now hooked on it, he can’t forget it. This is what makes him keep going back. The progression Dr. Jekyll experiences with Mr. Hyde is the same that a gambler experiences.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteWhether or not Jekyll should be responsible for Hyde’s crimes is a question that could be debated over constantly. Hyde is a part of Jekyll, yes, but his release into the world is and was entirely up to Jekyll. Jekyll has a different mindset than Hyde does, evil does not control him as it does with his counterpart. Despite this, one could say that Hyde is a part of Jekyll so Jekyll must share these thoughts. That could be true, but Jekyll has chosen to not act on these thoughts, and we can’t arrest someone based on a thought, especially one that was never voiced. He could be held culpable for the release of a dangerous threat on society though. Jekyll mostly chooses when Hyde emerges, so on that account, he is choosing to let a threat, one that he knows can harm people, out loose stalking innocent lives. I don’t think Jekyll should be held accountable for the actions of Hyde, but I do think he should be held culpable for releasing an imminent danger out on the city.
Throughout the book, especially towards the end, we begin to learn how much Jekyll begins to struggle with the idea of Hyde. The more he learns what he has done to people, the more disgusted with Hyde he becomes. He begins to realize that he can never let Hyde have control over himself out of fear of what else he could do. Despite his knowledge, Jekyll is upset at the idea of containing Hyde. I think he is upset at the thought because Hyde gave him a real feeling of freedom. He said that when he was Hyde, he felt like a new person, which makes sense because they were very different in how they acted and looked. That feeling of a new person became an addiction for him, he was living life through his daring side, and he never truly wanted to give that up. I believe that he will always love and appreciate Hyde for giving him that new sense of freedom, and he will never be able to truly give him up and ignore him while he knows what Hyde did for him that he could never feel as Henry Jekyll.
I love your essay, Audrey! I enjoyed how you stated that Jekyll created Hyde, but was not necessarily responsible for the things he did as Hyde. Great work!
Delete“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' is a story filled with suspense and mystery. Dr. Jekyll is a brilliant scientist who created a drug that could turn him into an evil being, known as Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll develops a repulsive indulgence with Mr. Hyde which allows him to take control of his entire life. Hyde commits evil crimes of murder, but Dr. Jekyll can not bring himself to abolish his creation. It seemed that Dr. Jekyll had almost developed an addiction to Mr. Hyde, just as many alcoholics do. The relationship between Jekyll and Hyde became very similar to the relationship of an alcoholic and alcohol.
ReplyDeleteDr. Jekyll slowly becomes more attached to Hyde as the story progresses. Jekyll knew that by creating this drug he would be putting his life at risk, just as any person who excessively drinks is doing. At first Jekyll felt welcomed by his new form of Mr. Hyde. He felt younger and found joy in transforming into a new person and leaving his worries behind, but he felt a sort of evil from Mr. Hyde. Jekyll did not feel he was to be blamed for Hyde’s actions, but he tried to make them right. Eventually, Jekyll began to involuntarily transform into Hyde, which made him realize things were getting out of control and he risked being trapped in the body of Hyde forever. However, Dr. Jekyll could not resist and transformed into Hyde again soon after. Hyde was enraged and committed a horrible, gruesome murder. After the incident Dr. Jekyll decided he was truly done transforming into Hyde, but Hyde continued to surface. He had to use copious amounts of the drug to avoid turning into Hyde and being filled with evil. Dr. Jekyll was slowly absorbed by Hyde and his life was overrun by this horrible being.
In the beginning stages of alcoholism, people feel excited and happy, using alcohol as an outlet. People slowly become dependent on alcohol as an escape and have a hard time resisting. Dr. Jekyll desired to become Hyde similar to the way alcoholics want to be intoxicated. People believe they can do whatever they please under the influence because they will not remember it the next day. Hyde did terrible things because he knew Jekyll would feel guilty and Hyde would not have to. Eventually Dr. Jekyll could no longer resist Hyde and was constantly pulled down by transforming into him. Alcoholics let alcohol define them and plan their days around drinking. They lose control and have a constant desire to drink, just as Hyde caused Dr. Jekyll to feel. An alcoholic will completely lose control of themselves and become overtaken by drinking alcohol. Dr. Jekyll was absorbed by Hyde and his life was destroyed because he could no longer prevent Hyde from surfacing.
(Part 2)This story leaves the reader questioning if Jekyll is culpable for Mr. Hyde’s crimes. Dr. Jekyll was fully aware of Hyde’s evil soul and continued to willingly transform into him. Although Jekyll did not commit the murders, he was aware of the risk that Hyde would kill. Dr. Jekyll should have realised that Hyde enjoyed the kill and stopped transforming into him before things got out of hand. An alcoholic often becomes mean and violent while under the influence, but they are still culpable for any crimes they commit. Jekyll never stopped caring for Hyde even when he did commit these crimes. He would pray for forgiveness and try to cover them up and make right of them. He also continued to transform into Hyde and longed to be him for a short while. Dr. Jekyll longed for the feeling he received when he first transformed into Hyde, which is why it was so hard for him to stop permanently.
ReplyDeleteDr. Jekyll knew that when he created Hyde, he would be getting himself into something dangerous and life threatening. He became addicted to Hyde and struggled to stay away from him. He lost control of his transformed character, ultimately leading to the death of both Hyde and Jekyll. This story can be related to alcoholism because of the way that it creates addiction and can destroy a person's life. Hyde began as an impossible experiment and slowly became the death of Dr. Henry Jekyll.
Addiction is a pitfall that strikes many innocent people. In the book Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a scientist is plagued with an odd type of addiction. He creates a combination of drugs into a potion that is able to morph him into a different creature. This other creature is then called Mr. Hyde. Jekyll saw this transformation as a way for him to separate the good in him from the evil in him. It gave the scientist so much happiness. He could finally be morally free while he lived as Mr. Hyde. However, that is how all addictions begin. A boost of serotonin and the thoughts of happiness make repeating that action more desirable.
ReplyDeleteAfter becoming Mr. Hyde, it became a common occurrence for Jekyll to unconsciously transform into Hyde. The potion was not needed for the transformation to occur anymore. The sense of addiction to being Hyde somewhat stopped for a little while. But one night, Jekyll was so overtaken by the urge to become Hyde that he rushed outside of his laboratory and in a violent rage and murdered Sir Danvers Carew. Jekyll still was struggling to stop the transformations. It was to no avail as he morphed into Hyde while sitting in the park.
At this point, Jekyll was so desperate to end this madness that he asked Landon for help to make a potion to become fully himself again. As Jekyll’s addiction grew stronger, the transformation occurred in front of Lanyon and he was so surprised he literally died. Jekyll could soon not bear to see himself turn into Hyde any longer he decided to kill himself.
Addiction in this scenario is seen as the body being called to do one thing and the mind attempting to convince oneself it is bad for you. The potions forced Jekyll into becoming Hyde. The substance was creating an addiction within Jekyll’s body. Addiction is not usually chosen, just as Jekyll never wished for the situation to escalate like it did. We do not know when addiction will strike. An example of this is the addiction to social media that plagues almost every teen and young adult.
As a teenager, I can thoroughly see the relationship between me and social media becoming not just a relationship of a little entertainment when I’m bored. From notifications of texts to posts about random stuff, I am always altered and extremely interested. My generation has been exposed to social media for so long that many of us have become addicted without realizing it. Just as Jekyll attempted to stop becoming Hyde, he ultimately failed as the desire to transform was bigger than his will to stop. We commonly try to get our screen time down to a lower number or try to sacrifice social media in some way during the season of Lent. But as we go days without it, the urge to refresh the page and check new posts becomes bigger and bigger the more we are deprived. Without realizing, being addicted to social media and feeling like we have to be informed on all current events has led to a pleading addiction that is fueled by a simple tap on a smartphone.
Breaking an addiction is a difficult feat. Jekyll was so overwhelmed by what feelings he had unconsciously created that he could simply not live with himself. We also need to realize that scrolling through an Instagram feed is not what our talents were meant for as Jekyll did not mean to make a monster and a murdurer out of himself.
Hope, I really like your essay. I think your perspective is interesting, and I like how you related the book to addiction.
DeleteGood work, Hope! I agree with you that addictions change us. I really like how you explained that social media alters us just as much as it takes up our time, just like being Hyde changed Jekyll more than physically.
DeleteHaving a dependence on something or even someone can have more harmful effects than good. The urge to always been near that person or have that substance on hand can be overwhelming and often times people go to extreme lengths to satisfy their dependency. An addiction to anything has major consequences and doctor Jeckll found that out the hard way.
ReplyDeleteThe doctor had created a drug that did strange things to him, things that altered him completely. His face would shift into an awful looking man, his features contorted to seel away his true identity. The man's personality changed from a relatively calm and orderly man to one more mysterious and hard to understand, who sought to bring chaos to the world. It wasn’t the drug Jeckll was addicted to becoming it was the monster Hyde, he had a dependence on. In fact after a while Jeckll no longer needed his concoction of drugs to transform into Hyde. He now did it without thought. Until one night he found himself unable to become Hyde so in a fit of rage he murdered a man. He claims he had no control over himself or Hyde, he wasn’t responsible for the crimes of Hyde.
This is untrue however. Regardless of what the drugs did to alter his mind Jeckll still had a rational thought he still had the ability to make decisions. Even after his dependence got to ye point of addiction he was still able at the time to get help. His choice to keep his identity a secrete speaks volumes. His addiction to Hyde became so unbearable that he drove himself mad with trying to satisfy it. In his own twisted way Jeckll used Hyde as his escape. He was able to do whatever he pleased and take part in the dark desires he kept at bay while he was Jeckll. That escape is why he never truly stopped becoming Hyde. Hyde was a place he could go to escape the norms and pressures of everyday life.
His dependence became to much for him to handle. Many people today suffer through the same thing. In the form of drug addiction addicts may do things like steal, lie or even murder to get the money to access their substances. It’s a vicious cycle to fall into and the patella it has with this story are ineresting.
Great essay Tiff! Your relations to addiction were really good. I liked how you said he used Hyde as an escape.
DeleteThe story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde may present to have the simple message of good vs. evil, however, deep down within the story, the message relates to the ideas of drug addiction and how it can affect one’s life forever. Addiction, as we know, is about giving into the desire to always want something and not having the fully ability to control it, whether that would be drugs or something as simple as technology.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is a fact that no one on Earth is perfect, the ideas of addiction and the messages portrayed in the story focus on how those struggling with addiction may not even be able to recognize and see that they have a flaw in the first place. This is especially true with Dr. Jekyll as he often would find himself unable to control when he turned into Mr. Hyde and when he would change back, he was unable to recognize some of the flaws he had as Hyde. The society around Jekyll and Hyde also was able to see their flaws but it was near impossible for them to see it because they were struggling with patch of addiction to science and drugs as the potion that Jekyll created caused him to uncontrollably turn into Hyde.
The story also can relate to the long path of drug addiction because when one starts drugs, it’s all great and fine and they are so happy but over time, that changes. The longer one uses the drugs, the more resistant they come to be of the effects of said drugs, causing them to have to up how much they use. As a result, it just turns into a continuous loop back and forth until one day, the drugs are too much for your body and one pays the ultimate consequence, similar to what Jekyll came to face with the amount of guilt and self-hatred he felt.
Although some may disagree and say that they were two completely separate people, I definitely believe that Jekyll is fully responsible for all actions done by Hyde for the main reason that he is the reason Hyde exists as it Is just the “evil side” of him. Jekyll also never really stopped “loving” Hyde after the murder because he felt as if it were still a part of him. He began to just pray for forgiveness and was eventually granted peace and happiness, even amongst the guilt he still felt.
Good work Jackie! The comparison to drug addiction was really good. I like how you emphasized that Hyde was part of Jekyll.
DeleteThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson contains many references and similarities to addiction. Addiction can manifest itself in many different ways, and in different forms. Social media addiction is a growing issue in today’s society, and is evident in popular culture and in mental evaluations.
ReplyDeleteWithin The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll becomes “addicted” with being Mr. Hyde for various reasons. These reasons include, but are not limited to the freedom of being another person, the ability to perform evil acts and cause harm with little consequence, and the unleashing of the inner dark side. Dr. Jekyll states how liberating it is to be Hyde, and the experience is captivating. Over time, Dr. Jekyll begins to exploit his alternate personality more and more to the point where he cannot control it. This affects his mentality, as well as the way he views the world.
Social media addiction begins in a similar way, people start out gradually, and enjoy the experience, but over time it begins to consume more and more time until it encompasses every aspect of life. Many people are more obsessed with being the center of attention by getting likes, followers, and comments than with personal growth and achievement. Likewise, this clout-based mindset can be detrimental to many people. When people do not fit popular ideals and do not gain likes, follows, shares, and comments, they start to feel like something is wrong with them. Social media hijacks the brain and brings in negativity and affirms social norms, which does not fit with the diversity of human nature.
Social media slowly takes over people’s lives for a few reasons. One main reason being the amount of activity and access to the world and similar ideas. This connectivity can be a very positive thing, but at the same time it is not being used for the benefit of the person, rather companies exploit usage information to target ads and content to the individual. This algorithm can make it difficult for new people to gain in popularity and for everyone to be seen and heard.
Social media does not give equal representation, and is mostly dominated by celebrities. People can become absorbed into it and start to focus on the little aspects of random people’s lives opposed to their own. Social media also detracts from human interaction, and neurosurgeons have discovered that social media does not do much for the interaction and social aspects of the brain, it just makes people more tired.
Like Dr. Jekyll trying to quit using his alternate persona, social media is hard to quit, and many people experience withdrawal. This withdrawal is different from drug withdrawal, but is still evident and can affect mood and other aspects of life. Likewise, with a society so focused on social media, many people can make quitting difficult because that could be the only place someone interacts with someone else. Peer pressure is a large proponent of social media addiction, like various other types of addiction, and can make quitting so much harder.
Therefore, social media addition absorbs all aspects of life, and like Dr. Jekyll can absorb someone and turn them into someone completely different with entirely different motives and goals.
Great job on your essay, Alex! I enjoyed reading through it. I liked that you mentioned withdrawal symptoms and peer pressure in your essay.
DeleteGood job. You have a very well formatted essay and your thoughts are easy to comprehend. Well done Alex
DeleteAddiction is defined as having dependence on a particular substance, and
ReplyDeletebeing unable to withdraw from it without negative effects. People can become addicted to many items like drugs, alcohol, pornography, video games, and even being other people. Addiction can bring evil out of people, and in The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, this is fully displayed. Jekyll, a scientist, develops a concoction which allows his good and evil side to be seperated. The catch is that he can only be one of them at a time, and while a reasonable person would not want to be their own evil counterpart, Jekyll soon grows fascinated by it. Jekyll’s addiction sends him into a downward spiral, paralleling a substance addiction.
The first sign of Jekyll’s addiction comes from his behavior in the early parts
of the story. Mr. Utterson’s first encounters with Jekyll and Hyde are nearly identical. Mr. Utterson asks Mr. Hyde questions about Dr. Jekyll, and Mr. Hyde remains quiet and tries to end the conversation quickly. When Mr. Utterson talks to Dr. Jekyll about Mr. Hyde; Jekyll becomes quite defensive and tries to tell as little as possible. This secretive behavior matches that of an early substance addiction. For example, an alcoholic will hide the fact that they drink because they feel it is not a big deal, or they may feel shameful about what they are doing. Because it is early in the addiction, the behavioral changes of the addict will most likely go unseen, much like in these conversations. The next major sign comes from the murder of Carew. A witness had said Carew and Hyde were talking, and then suddenly, Hyde snapped and beat Carew to death. Jekyll, as Hyde, lost control of himself and acted violently. An alcoholic may act violently towards their family or friends at random times, with seemingly no reason. The alcoholic may not mean to do this, but lost control of themselves due to the substance. The final stage comes from the chapter, “The Last Night.” Jekyll’s servant, Poole, notices a strange sound from Jekyll’s room, and has Utterson help him investigate. Poole informs Utterson that he heard weeping so sorrowful it could make him weep. This replicates someone with a substance addiction feeling awful about what they had become, and feeling remorseful for it. Jekyll feels guilty for allowing Hyde to kill a man that was so loved. He began to feel depressed and secluded himself, much like an alcoholic who felt hopeless and then went into seclusion to avoid embarrassment from their family. Jekyll then drinks the potion to become Hyde so he will not have to worry about what he did, like how an alcoholic will drink to try and feel better, but in reality they begin to feel worse. The story of Jekyll and Hyde is a perfect outline of an addiction becoming a downward spiral. Though Jekyll and Hyde are told to be different people, Jekyll used his addiction to escape the problems he caused, much like how an addict uses their addiction to escape their own problems.
In the story, Jekyll defends himself from his guilt by blaming everything on
ReplyDeleteHyde, his evil counterpart. When Utterson tells Jekyll of Hyde killing Carew, Jekyll instantly denounces Hyde and says he will no longer associate himself with him. This distancing is symbolic that Jekyll, despite knowing he is also Hyde, blames it on Hyde and acts if they are separate so Jekyll feels no guilt. However, Jekyll is equally as culpable. This is because Jekyll willingly prevented the light of good from holding back the darkness of evil. Everyone messes up and does evil from time to time, but the goodness in their souls allows them to feel guilt, and strive to do better. Jekyll never committed murders or crimes before he started using the concoction, which is proof Jekyll’s light was able to contain his darkness. This also explains why Hyde never feels remorse for his crimes, because he had no light to hold him back or make him feel guilt. Light can not exist without darkness, and darkness can not exist without light. Hyde would consume Jekyll’s light because the darkness needs light to exist, and Jekyll’s light needs darkness to exist, so it would consume Hyde. This cycle keeps repeating itself for the entire story. Though Jekyll did not see the consequences of his experiment, he willingly allowed darkness to roam free by separating his light from it, and it would come to overwhelm Jekyll. Hyde comes from Jekyll, meaning they are the same person, so both are guilty for the crimes of Hyde.
Though Jekyll denounced the evils of Hyde, a part of Jekyll still loved being
Hyde. Jekyll said he would quit being Hyde after hearing of the murder, but like recovering from a substance, it is not easy to let go. Even after abandoning Hyde, Jekyll never destroyed the clothes he wore as Hyde. The remnants of Hyde were scattered everywhere, so he was not ready to let go. Jekyll was a good man, he cared about his responsibilities, felt compassion and empathy for his friends, and knew right from wrong. Life, responsibilities, and morals can become very taxing to balance, especially when working in a field where morals are often challenged. Hyde felt no guilt or cared for anything because he did not have the goodness of Jekyll to feel guilt. Jekyll knew that as Hyde, all of his cares and worries would go away. Being Hyde was Jekyll’s escape from all the problems of everyday life. Hyde brought Jekyll comfort and peace, and he could never stop being Hyde because problems in life would always keep coming up.
Jekyll is the core stereotype of an addict. He hides his problem from friends
and family until it gets out of hand. He then starts to do things he would never normally do while under the influence of the concoction. He feels guilt for what he has done, but drowned in depression from it, he turns back to the addicting concoction to avoid those problems. He blames his problems on his addiction, who is Hyde, rather than get help and stop his own problems. This leads to the internal breakdown of Jekyll. The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde can be seen as an allegory for the perspectives, stages, and effects of a drug addiction.
Addiction is something that has affected many people in our world today. These extreme
ReplyDeletehabits are very hard to break. It takes a lot of time and energy to be able to manage these actions. There are many places, like rehab centers, where you can get help for your addictions. There are major addictions like drugs and alcohol. There are also addictions that can have a huge effect on your life, like social media and caffeine.
In the book Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll faces an addiction of his own. His
addiction of becoming a new person, but they still had one common thing. In this story, Dr. Jekyll is kind of the good part of himself, and Mr. Hyde is the evil part of himself. Even though they were in a way two different people, they were still the same person. The problem is that he can’t be both at the same time. He has a choice to make who he wants to be.This is why I think that Dr. Jekyll would and still be in trouble for the crimes that Hr. Hyde did. I believe that even though they had different personalities, they still had the same mindset.
I don’t think that Dr. Jekyll wanted fully get rid of Mr. Hyde altogether. Just like
addiction, you can keep going back for it. Dr. Jekyll felt this way towards Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde was one of Dr. Jekyll’s addictions. In your mind when you are addicted, there is always a thought about what you are addicted too. Some people know that they are addicted, but some people that are addicted don’t think that they are. I also think that some people know that they have an addiction, but they just pretend that they don’t. I also think that deep down Dr. Jekyll knew that he should get rid of Mr. Hyde, but this doesn’t mean that he wanted to.
One addiction people face is a caffeine addiction. Some of the people think that they need
coffee to make it through the day. Sometimes these people end up drinking way too many cups of coffee that they should. They might then end up doing this everyday. Some people feel like they need this coffee like Dr. Jekyll needs Mr. Hyde. Many forms of caffeine can cause many different problems for your health. It can also have many effects on your social life. Like many different addictions, caffeine takes something away from you. This can vary from person to person. Even though caffeine is mainly thought of to be used in drinks, it is also in many foods
that you eat everyday. People can face many serious consequences if they eat or drink too many substances that contain caffeine. It can lead to some problems with your heart over time.
The addiction of caffeine can be closely related to the addiction that Dr. Jekyll is facing.
Addictions are tough to face, and Dr. Jekyll has to face up to his, and he had a choice to make. Many people that are facing addiction also have a choice to make.
This was a great essay, Tami! I thought is was great how you compared the book to a caffeine addiction. It was very well thought out.
DeleteGreat essay Tami! Caffeine was an interesting choice to compare Jekyll's obsession to.
DeleteIn the book, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll, who is deeply fascinated with science, conducts a major scientific advancement in a clonling-like experiment, leaving Dr. Jekyll with an evil counterpart, Mr. Hyde. As the plot of the book progresses, it is evident that Dr. Jekyll’s quest for scientific achievement is unhealthy, and overwhelming, even for himself. His love for science draws close connections with substance abuse and drug addiction. He cannot seem to bring himself to destroy his creation, and it is inevitably the fall of him. Throughout the story, Jekyll makes it clear that he understands what he is doing is wrong, but cannot get himself to stop. His love was too strong.
ReplyDeleteDr. Jekyll’s approach to science was that of a priests approach to Christianity. He completely indulged himself with his love for it, and inversely his love for Hyde. Jekyll completely loses his sense of reasoning, leaving him with only feeling. He acts only on what he currently felt, and couldn’t bring himself back into reality. This closely aligns with the thought process of one who is going through drug abuse. They are unable to see reality, and act only on the urge to use drugs, and fulfill a want.Another thing that Jekyll’s obsession with Hyde and drug addiction have in common, is that they both are self inflicted. In almost every case, humans are not born with drug addiction, and they bring it upon themselves to create a want that is greater than a need. Our bodies are designed to crave what we need over what we want. This outlines the addiction that both drug users and Jekyll had in a much darker aspect. Jekyll knew his love was too strong, yet continued to pursue his death. The decisions made along the line become easier to be made once Jekyll, just like a drug user, is trapped in a figment of his own imagination; a broken reality. The unfortunate ending for both scenarios, if the path initially taken is continued to be followed, is death. Drug users create a fake version of themselves; a monster, and they let it eat away at them until it kills then. This was exactly the case for Dr. Jekyll, his own creation inevitably killing him.
Dr. Jekyll’s love for Hyde draws close similarities to the addiction of a drug user. It is evident in the path initially taken by both parties, a completely conscious step in the wrong direction. From there it is a downward spiral into a death that cannot be more ironic. A very sad, almost suicide, takes place, where the creation of a beast destroys the creator.