Paideia High School/Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a Paideia Unit Plan. These guidelines address teachers for the purpose of guiding instruction. See Paideia Learning Plan for the student's point of view.

Column One
Column One teaching and learning should make up about 10% to 15% of the total scheduled instructional time. It is didactic in nature and uses teacher lectures, text books or other didactic instructional materials, and questioning appropriate to this mode of education. Teaching in this mode encompasses of three facets: Exoridium, Interpretation, and Erudition.

Exordium
The Exordium is the teacher's didactic introduction to the work that is the subject of a Paideia Unit Plan. This introduction consists of both an oral and physical (or electronic) presentation of the work. For longer works, the teacher may limit the oral presentation to key parts of the work. The teacher should read texts live distinctly, accurately, and intelligently. Other works should be orally presented similarly as appropriate to the type of work. In addition, the teacher should provide high quality audio and video recordings of works if possible. Students should have a consumable print copy of the work both electronically and in hard-copy if possible.

Oral Presentation
http://www.archive.org/details/jekyll_and_hyde_librivox
 * Given the relatively short length of the work, I've choosen to read it aloud in class, with the following divisions: Chs 1&2, Chs 3&4, Chs 5&6, Chs 7&8, Ch. 9, Ch. 10
 * For students who miss class days, or who would like to listen again as they process and work through the text, an audio version can be found on librivox at:

or on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDFQQKeiR2A

or at: http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/audiobooks/Jekyll/mp3/index.htm

Written Presentation

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Interpretation
Textual Interpretation refers to the teacher's didactic analysis of a written work in terms of the four major questions a demanding reader should ask of a text. Using the term work instead of book, these questions are: (1) What is the text about as a whole? (2) What is being said in detail, and how? (3) Is the text true, in whole or part? and (4) What of it? The Exordium begins to answer the first question because it introduces the whole text both orally and in writing (although the oral presentation may be limited in the case of longer works). It is in the Interpretation stage of Column One instruction that the teacher didactically begins to thoroughly unlock the second question. The third and fourth questions are relevant to Interpretation, but question two receives most of the teacher's attention. It is only when the student begins Column Two activities that a fuller grasp of questions three and four begins to mature in the student's mind. Consistent with the purpose of Column One instruction, the teacher is simply introducing elements of proper interpretation for the student to build on during Column Two and Column Three learning.

These questions can be appropriately modified for analysis of a work in science, mathematics, or the fine arts. Analysis of these types of works proceeds in a manner analagous to that of a text. Inasmuch as imaginative literature can be considered a work of fine art, the analogies drawn in Adler's and Van Doren's How to Read a Book can serve as a guide to other types of works too.

Interpretation of  or 
In textual interpretation, the teacher didactically presents the author's key terms in the stage of Interpretation of Words and Terms. In addition, the teacher anticipates unfamiliar general vocabulary. These words and terms are given didactically, either orally or in writing, or both, but the task of interpreting is a Column Two skill of learning that the teacher must coach. Consequently, the purpose of this Column One stage is merely to point out key terms and potentially unfamiliar terms. The student must learn how to interpret. Again, this planning can be adapted to other kinds of works.

Interpretation of Key Terms
The key terms are those few words or phrases the author uses in unique, special, or important ways. . In the Column Two stage, students are coached both to find these key terms and to "unlock" them on their own. This skill is essential to analytical reading. In this Column One stage, however, the teacher points out a list of such terms. Students should understand that this listing is not necessarily exhaustive. In addition, the teacher provides students with a handful of these terms worked out in detail for consideration; it should consist of about three to five terms.
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General Vocabulary
The teacher may anticipate general unfamiliar vocabulary and point out the more difficult words either orally or in writing or both. However, defining words using context, a dictionary, or a knowlegable friend or adult (including the teacher) is a Column Two skill that must be coached. Teachers must help students build good habits of knowing the meanings of words. Dictionaries, in both electronic and book form must be available, and students must be taught how to use them. They must also be taught how to ask for definitions--a perfectly acceptible life skill commonly used by demanding readers!


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Note: If the teacher points out words in anticipation of their potential difficulty, this should be done in context by giving citations or electronically highlighting the words.

Interpretation of Sentences
One point of didactic interpretation at the level of interpreting sentences is to use grammar to get at the author's meaning. As with interpreting words and terms, this level of interpretation is also a Column Two skill that must be coached. Consequently, at the Column One didactic level, a teacher should choose a handful of the most difficult sentences in the text for demonstration. The teacher will always unlock the grammar of a few important and more difficult sentences for students independent of whether these sentences are key premeses to an argument. As appropriate to the text, a teacher should also consider demonstrating the grammar of sentences that work together as propositions in the author's most important arguments.

Another important point is to demonstrate the meter and prosody in both poetry and prose texts. This aim is in great danger of being completely overlooked or forgotten in a world where oral reading is not nearly as common as it once was. Nevertheless, great speechs often succeed in part because the author understands prosody. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and King's I Have a Dream serve as striking examples. The teacher should select sentences or versus to demonstrate both meter and rhythm.


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 * : <explanation of meter and rhythm, consideration of overall prosody>
 * <Fourth Sentence>: <etc.>

Interpretation of Passages
Look carefully at the descriptions of the character of Utterson on page one of the text:

. . .he had an approved tolerance for others; sometimes wondering, almost with envy, at the high pressure of spirits involved in their misdeeds; and in any extremity inclined to help rather than to reprove. "I incline to Cain's heresy," he used to say quaintly: "I let my brother go to the devil in his own way." In this character, it was frequently his fortune to be the last reputable acquaintance and the last good influence in the lives of downgoing men. And to such as these, so long as they came about his chambers, he never marked a shade of change in his demeanour.

As a group, identify, phrase by phrase, what this says about him. Have students describe him in their own words.

Have students locate a corresponding description of both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Erudition
This is an interesting site analyzing some of the allusions in this work: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/stevenson/allusion1.html

Cultural References

 * <information and links to cultural references--include citations--delete if not used>

Ethical References

 * <information and links to ethical references--include citations--delete if not used>

Geographical References
This story takes place in London, England in the nineteenth century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century_London

Historical References

 * <information and links to historical references--include citations--delete if not used>

Religious References
Cain's heresy

refers to Cain of the Bible--as in "Cain and Able" in Genesis. Cain murders his brother Able out of jealousy.

Heresy is going against established religious beliefs and teachings.

Scientific References

 * <information and links to scientific references--include citations--delete if not used>

Column Two
Column Two teaching consists of coaching. This mode of instruction aims at helping students to form habitual skills in the language, scientific, and fine arts. Thus, a teacher must correct students as they practice listening, speaking, reading, writing, observing with the senses unaided, observing with the aid of scientific apparatus, measuring, estimating, calculating, and exercising dexterity in the musical and visual arts. Each of these arts in turn rely upon the aquisition of fine and gross motor, imagination, and memory skills. These rules for developing Paideia Unit Plans address teachers. For their counterpart written for students, see Paideia Learning Plan.

Column Two learning comprises 65% to 75% of scheduled learning time. It's chief charactaristic is student activity. Students must be practicing some skill or skills while the teacher corrects him or her. While athletic coaching is an obvious example of this type of instruction, debate coaching, directing a drama, art instruction, and piano lessons also represent coaching. In order to coach well, a teacher must have a repertoire of activities carefully designed to exercised desired skills. Additionally, the teacher must have a clear idea of how to correct the skills as students practice them to ensure their habitual formation.

Speaking Skills

 * <imitation of quality oral readings--should be a part of every unit>
 * <recitations from memory--should be some part of every unit>
 * <oral presentations of written work--should be a part of most units>

Reading Skills

 * <read hard-copy with a pencil in hand--always!>
 * <marking up a text both with a pencil and electronically>
 * <inspectional reading notes as taught in Adler's and Van Doren's How to Read a Book>
 * <analytical reading notes as taught in the same work>

Writing Skills
Write a paraphrase of the character description of Mr. Hyde on p.

Describe a cartoon character of your choice in the manner of Robert Louis Stevenson in "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Make sure to use at least one metaphoric allusion.

Seminar Question Writing Guidelines
The following table serves to guide teachers in understanding the types of questions that guide good seminars and how to write them. Good seminars follow the general structure given by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren in their classic How to Read a Book published by Simon & Schuster in 1972. Column one gives the four main questions that a demanding reader should ask of any book. These questions guide the types of questions and the purpose of each type used in good seminars. The last column serves to illustrate questions that might be asked of The Declaration of Independence, The Gettysburg Address, or Hamlet. This table could be easily adapted for any work of fine art like a painting or a musical score.

Specific Seminars
Opening: Imagine that you have been asked to write the publisher's book blurb for the cover of a new edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. What are two adjectives you would use on the cover to "sell" the book to prospective readers?

Round Robin

Why did you choose that word? Agreement/Disagreement with the choices?

Analysis: At the beginning of the story we are told the Mr. Utterson has "an approved tolerance for others." In fact, he often said, "I let my brother go to the devil in his own way." What does this mean?

Why, given this attitude, does he take such an interest in Dr. Jekyll's will? Is it out of character for him to do so? Why or why not?

On page 50, Dr. Jekyll, in talking about his attempts to reform after Mr. Hyde commits murder, says, "Nor can I truly say that I wearied of this benefit and innocent life; I think instead that I daily enjoyed it more completely; but I was still cursed with my duality of purpose; and as the first edge of penitence wore off, the lower side of me, so long indulged, so recently chained down, began to growl for license."

Why is the dark side so hard for him to control? (note the "so long indulged")

If he'd been able to continue on the path of virtue, would that side have become stronger and better able to control the evil, or is evil inherently stronger and more appealing, once indulged?

Did Jekyll really want to turn away from Hyde, or did he really like being him?

Evaluative: Jekyll has a dual view of human nature--that we have both the inclination and capacity for good and evil in us. In choosing Hyde, he knowingly indulges evil. Why did he choose Hyde?

What happens as in indulges evil more? (If they haven't yet brought up the comparison to drugs and alcohol, make it here.)

In Chapter 10, on page 52, Jekyll, in talking about Hyde, says, "He, I say-I cannot say I." Is he correct in insisting that Hyde is not him? Why or why not?

How much responsibility does Jekyll have for Hyde's actions? How much does he take? Is he correct? What else could he do?

What is the author saying about the ultimate cost of indulging in "the glamor of evil"?

Closing: Is Jekyll and Hyde's view that evil is more pleasurable than good true? Why or why not? Can taking pleasure in evil change your ability to enjoy good? If yes, can a person go back? Could Jekyll? Ultimately, can a person recover from giving in to evil? (addiction analogy can be useful here again)

Is it important to choose what parts of our personality and our tastes we feed and grow, as in Jekyll and Hyde?

Will it affect our inclinations to choose good or evil later, when choose what we know is right or wrong?