Consciousness (noun) Being awake and aware of one’s surroundings or your perception of something. Debased (adjective) Reduced in quality or value. Degenerate (noun) An immoral or corrupt person. (verb) Deteriorate mentally or physically. Depraved (adjective) Morally corrupt. Wicked. Duality (noun) An example of a contrast between aspects of something (ie, man is both good and evil) Ethics (noun) Moral rules which affect a person’s behaviour. Eugenics (noun) The science of improving a population by controlled breeding. Feral (adjective) Totally wild, like an animal. Metamorphosis (noun) A change from one living state to another. Perversion (noun) The corruption or ruin of something’s original state. Professional (noun) A person doing a job which requires a qualification. Respectability (noun) Being accepted and valued within your field (ie, doctors being respected). Restraint (noun) Self control. Savage (adjective) Fierce, violent, uncontrolled. Subconscious (noun) The part of the mind you’re
What do these descriptions of places tell us about Stevenson’s fascination with the city streets? Sample Answer How does the writer achieve it? Identify a technique/ interesting use of language Stevenson creates a huge contrast between the two descriptions, using positive language in one and negative in the other. Stevenson grew up in Edinburgh, a city with great contrasts between its spacious, clean ‘new town’ and its dark, claustrophobic ‘old town’. This has influenced his work, with this fascination reflected in the vibrant description of London and the gloomy, run-down version. The characters who inhabit these streets reflect their surroundings. “Smiling saleswomen” are juxtaposed with slouching “tramps”, and even the schoolboy mentioned is menacing as he carries a “knife”. The sense that London’s night-time streets are a place to be feared is obvious, and suggests that further crimes may be committed in the “sinister” What is the writer’s intention? Link to purpose and audience Writer’s message Writers’ attitude Why is it effective? Link to the actual words used What does it make you feel/do? What are the connotations?
How is Dr Jekyll presented in this extract? Sample Answer How does the writer achieve it? Identify a technique/ interesting use of language Use a quote Stevenson presents Jekyll as a good, reasonable man “with every mark of capacity and kindness.” In order to show just how horrific Hyde is, Stevenson must create a character who is his opposite: someone who is “sincere and warm”. The obvious contrast between the two represents the duality of man – something of great interest to the author. Jekyll attempts to flatter Utterson as he tries to convince him that Hyde is under control, repeatedly referring to him as “good”. Perhaps this is meant to sound a little overdone – almost as if Jekyll is trying too hard to convince Utterson of something he doesn’t entirely believe himself. Perhaps this flattery is simply a pretence – one which is stripped away when he takes the potion. Stevenson seems to suggest that man’s true nature is more animalistic – maybe Jekyll has just been good at hiding it so far. This might be an uncomfortable idea for those in Victorian society, who were likely to see good and bad as opposites, not two parts of one person. What is the writer’s intention? Link to purpose and audience Writer’s message Writers’ attitude Why is it effective? Link to the actual words used What does it make you feel/do? What are the connotations? Does it have an emotional impact? Context Does it link to Victorian society, values or beliefs? Does it link to Stevenson’s own life?
Identify a technique/interesting use of language Use a quote What are the connotations? Does it have an emotional impact? Does it link to Stevenson’s own life? Lit AO1: Use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations. Lit AO1: Read, understand and respond to texts, maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response. Lit AO2: Analyse the language, form and structure used to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate. Lit AO3: Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written. What effect is Mr Hyde having on Dr Jekyll? How does the writer achieve this? Lit AO1: use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations. Identify a technique/ interesting use of language Use appropriate terminology Use a quote It seems that the pressure of living with Hyde is having a terrible effect on Dr Jekyll’s health, as he is What is the Link to purpose
How does Stevenson present Dr Lanyon in this scene? Sample Answer In his first appearance in the book he is described as “a hearty, healthy, dapper, red-faced gentleman, with a shock of hair prematurely white, and a boisterous and decided manner”. How does the writer achieve this? Lit AO1: use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations. Identify a technique/ interesting use of language Use appropriate terminology Use a quote Stevenson presents Lanyon as a frightened man who has “his death-warrant written legibly upon his face” and is “trembling”, “visibly older and balder”. Stevenson shows the effect that Jekyll and Hyde have had upon Lanyon’s health, showing how he has quickly gone from “hearty and healthy” to being the total opposite. It seems that Lanyon knows the truth about Hyde, but cannot bring himself to tell Utterson, and repressing What is the writer’s intention? Lit AO1: Read, understand and respond to texts, maintain a critical style and develop an informed Link to purpose and audience What is the writer’s message or attitude?