English 10 name:
Mrs. Sharp period:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Literary Analysis Essay
You will complete a literary analysis essay based on your reading, understanding, and interpretation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. This essay will go into your portfolio as a representation of some of your best writing, so be sure to do your best work.
You will have time to work on your essay in class this week, but you will also need to spend some time outside of class writing and revising.
Your final essay is due by 3:30 on MONDAY, DECEMBER 16th.
Because it is the end of the semester, there will not be any opportunities for late work or rewrites. Any essays not received on Monday 12/16 will earn ZEROES. You may use ALL of your notes, study guide questions, graphic organizers, and your book when writing your essay in class, so be sure to complete each element carefully.
Your Essay
You will use the rubric you receive in class as a guideline for writing your paper. In addition:
- Your essay must be at least 5 paragraphs in length (introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion).
- Your essay must include a thesis statement which succinctly expresses your main argument. You will need to make a statement answering the prompt you select.
- You must give at least three specific textual examples which support your thesis.
- You essay must be free of grammatical and spelling errors (especially errors in parenthetical references and quotation integration).
Prompts
Select one of the following prompts:
§ Though the novel is very short, Stevenson manages to pack a lot of vivid description into the text. Describe how Stevenson uses setting and descriptive language to suggest or convey the personality traits of his characters. Use at least three examples from the text to support your response.
§ A lot of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde deals with expectations for behavior and what is “right” or “wrong.” What do you think a reader could learn from the experiences of the characters in the text? Write a statement of theme for the text. Discuss the events that make this theme clear to the reader. Provide at least three examples from the text to support your point of view.
§ Why do you think Robert Louis Stevens chose to tell the story from the point of view of a limited, third person narrator, allowing the reader only to see the thoughts and feelings of Mr. Utterson throughout most of the text? How does this choice increase the suspense or further develop the plot of the novel? Explain using at least three examples from the text.
§ In the pre-reading materials, you read about how The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was written during the Victorian Era, a time of intense change. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson shows the civilizing influence as well the restricting and debilitating effects of Victorian society. What are the ways that Victorian society has shaped the behavior of the characters in the text? Explain how Stevenson’s Victorian world is represented or critiqued in the text, using at least three quotations to support your response.
Developing a Thesis Statement
a specific subject
+ your specific feelings or thoughts
= an effective thesis statement
A thesis statement is a sentence (or two) in the introduction that announces your limited topic and expresses your main idea about it. The thesis statement controls what goes into your paper; everything must connect to and support your thesis statement. Your thesis statement should be clear and specific, and present a definite, focused idea which you can support with evidence from the text. For our purposes, your thesis statement will be the very last sentence of your introduction paragraph.
Tips for Writing a Thesis Statement
1. Read the prompt question carefully.
2. Underline key words or phrases that tell you what needs to be present in your response. Generally, prompts based on literature will focus on an element of the literature (character, setting, mood, symbolism, theme, etc.).
3. Review the text. Find examples of the literary element. Note their literal meanings as well as any emotional responses they may evoke.
4. Select the BEST examples to support your response (be sure to use the correct number of examples).
5. Write a thesis statement which states the title and author of the work, how the literary element is used and a very brief description of how you will prove it.
6. Check your thesis statement by asking yourself: What is my topic? What am I saying about my topic?
My chosen prompt # ______
Thesis Statement: ______
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English 10 name:
Mrs. Sharp period:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Literary Analysis Essay
Graphic Organizer
Introduction / Introductory sentence to grab the reader’s attention:Author’s full name and title of work:
Thesis statement (your concise answer to one of the prompts):
Body Paragraphs / Example #1
Background info to introduce the quotation:
Quotation (with page number):
Elaboration (Explain how the quotation proves your point):
Body Paragraphs / Example #2
Background info to introduce the quotation:
Quotation (with page number):
Elaboration (Explain how the quotation proves your point):
Example #3
Background info to introduce the quotation:
Quotation (with page number):
Elaboration (Explain how the quotation proves your point):
Conclusion / Restate your thesis:
BREIFLY summarize your main points:
Leave your reader with a final thought:
MLA Essay Format
Your essay must be completed following all MLA formatting guidelines. Use the information below to ensure your paper meets expectations.
The opening page of your essay should use the format shown below:
Only the first page should include the whole heading and title. Your heading includes your name, your teacher’s name, the name of the course (English 10) and the date ONLY. Note that MLA date format is number of the day, Month, and year (i.e. 17 April 2005).
All margins--top, bottom, and sides--should be set to one inch (1") throughout the whole paper. Don't add extra spaces between the heading and the title, or between the title and the body of the paragraph. Use ONLY Calibri, Times New Roman, Arial, or Garamond font, size 10 - 12 point ONLY.
Pages that follow the opening page to your essay should use the format shown below:
Instead of the full heading, pages that follow the opening page should use a header in the upper right corner: your last name and the page number. Do NOT include the number sign (#), the word “page” or any abbreviation “pg.”
Do not add extra spaces between paragraphs--that is a business format. Instead, make sure to continue indenting paragraphs one-half inch (the usual tab default setting).
Mrs. Sharp name:
English 10 period:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Literary Analysis Essay
TIPS for WRITING an ANALYSIS
Writing the Opening
Your opening paragraph should gain your reader’s attention and identify the thesis of your analysis. Begin by summarizing the topic of your essay very briefly. Include the title and author in a “what and how” statement about the book.
o In his novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding writes about [what?] the evil side of man [how?] by describing the actions of a group of young boys marooned on a deserted island.
Your first sentence should grab your reader’s attention. Consider trying one of the following:
· Start with a quotation from the book and then comment on its importance (think in terms of the focus of your analysis).
· Begin with an explanation of the author’s purpose and how well he/she achieves this purpose.
· Open with a few general statements about life that relate to the topic of your analysis.
o There comes a time when everyone must grow up and begin to be more independent. For Jerry, the main character in Doris Lessing’s “Through the Tunnel,” that time has come.
· Begin with a general statement about the type of literature you are analyzing and discuss the text within that context.
o The best science fiction always seems believable and logical within the context of the real world. This is certainly true in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein.
Writing the Body
You need to develop and support the focus of your essay in the body paragraphs. You must be sure to completely and effectively explain each main point of your essay.
· State each main point so it clearly relates to the thesis of your literary analysis essay.
· Support each main point with direct quotations and specific, relevant details.
· Explain how each specific detail and/or quotation supports or proves the point you’re making with your thesis. Don’t assume your reader know what you mean or has even read the text. Explain, elaborate, and enlighten.
Writing the Conclusion
Your conclusion is your chance to have the last word on the subject. The conclusion allows you to have the final say on the issues you have raised in your paper, to demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your reader to a new view of the subject. Your conclusion can go beyond the confines of the assignment. The conclusion pushes beyond the boundaries of the prompt and allows you to consider broader issues, make new connections, and elaborate on the significance of your findings. Be sure to:
· Restate the focus of your analysis (your thesis).
· Briefly summarize the key points you used to prove your thesis
· Leave your reader with a final thought – so what? Why should anyone care about what you’ve proven? What does it all mean?
Integrating Quotations
When using quotations to support the main points of your analysis, you cannot just take words from the original text and stick them in to your paragraphs.
o Mary Shelly shows that knowledge is dangerous. “Oh what a strange nature is knowledge!” This quote proves that knowledge is dangerous.
To correct this problem, use a QUOTATION SANDWICH!
How to build a delicious QUOTATION SANDWICH:
· INTRODUCE the quotation
· INSERT the quotation
· IINDICATE how the quotation proves your point.
There is more than one correct way to integrate quotations into your writing:
With an introductory phrase:
According to Johnson, “One of the customs of courtship involved sending a gift of horses to a girl’s family” (247).
Into a sentence that includes a brief paraphrase or interpretation of the quotation. With this method, the quotation can be inserted into the beginning, middle or end of the sentence:
o Beginning: “He was envious still, even among the horses,” which are capable of fending for themselves (Johnson 14).
o Middle: Because he amused the Crows “like a strange pet,” they gave him food in the winter (Johnson 26).
o End: Forced into servitude, he is filled with rage, “although anger was an emotion he knew he could not afford” (Johnson 126).
* Note that, if the quotation is not introduced with the author’s name, the name must be included in the parenthetical reference at the end of the sentence.
Punctuating Sentences Containing Quotations
· When you integrate a quotation into a sentence, be sure that the quotation fits grammatically into the sentence. For example, be sure that what you are left with is a complete sentence.
o Incorrect: “A future,” he realizes, “something to be earned” (45). [lacks a verb]
o Correct: “A future,” he realizes, is “something to be earned” (45).
· Place commas inside closing quotation marks.
o The priest is described as, “facing into a cold dry wind and squinting at the last sunlight,” which symbolizes the end of the man’s life.
· Place periods at the end of the sentences, directly following the parenthetical reference.
o In Leslie Marmon Silko’s “The Man to Send Rain Clouds,” imagery reinforces the story’s conflict: “The wind pulled at the priest’s brown Franciscan robe and swirled away the cornmeal and pollen” (28).
· Exclamation points and question marks are included in the quotation marks if they are a part of the original quotation. The parenthetical appears at the end follows by a period.
o The priest asks, “What brings you here?” (28).
Other Important Tips
- All discussion of the text should be in the present tense (“Jekyll wants to be free of Hyde” instead of “Jekyll wanted to be free of Hyde”).
- NEVER use phrases like, “this quote shows…” or “this quote proves…”
- Do not write in the 1st or 2nd person (no “I” or “you”).
- Be sure to use TRANSITIONS (time to digest between quotation evidence). “Also,” “Further,” “In addition,” etc. are all yummy options.
English 10 name:
Mrs. Sharp period:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Literary Response Essay
Common Errors
The following is an excerpt from a student’s literary response essay on the poetic devices used in Dylan Thomas’s poem, “Memories of Christmas.” In the blanks below the paragraph, list the errors you found and their line numbers. Then, make the corrections in the paragraph itself.