Structure and Plot Development (Grade 12 NSC Matric English FAL): Revision Notes
Structure and Plot Development
Overview
Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) is a short novel that examines the dual nature of humanity - the concept that all people contain both good and evil aspects. Stevenson uses a carefully crafted structure to build mystery, create tension, and lead readers step by step towards the shocking truth about Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde's connection.
The novel's structure is deliberately designed to mirror the mystery it explores - just as Jekyll hides his dark side, Stevenson conceals the truth from readers until the dramatic conclusion.
Narrative structure
The novel uses a detective-style storytelling approach, similar to mystery fiction. The story unfolds in a non-linear way, with events revealed through various viewpoints, allowing readers to gradually piece together clues like investigators solving a case.
The five-part structure
| Part | Focus and Function |
|---|---|
| Exposition | Introduces lawyer Mr Utterson, Dr Jekyll's trusted friend, and establishes the mystery surrounding Mr Hyde, a cruel and violent individual linked to Jekyll |
| Rising Action | Strange events involving Hyde escalate - including a child being trampled and Sir Danvers Carew's murder - while Utterson grows increasingly concerned and Jekyll becomes more secretive |
| Climax | Hyde's crimes create public outrage. Jekyll withdraws completely from society. Utterson and Poole force entry into Jekyll's laboratory and discover Hyde's lifeless body dressed in Jekyll's clothing |
| Falling Action | Two crucial documents are revealed: Lanyon's account and Jekyll's complete confession. These letters explain how Jekyll and Hyde are the same person |
| Resolution | Readers finally learn that Jekyll developed a formula to split his good and evil natures, but lost control of the transformations, ultimately leading to his destruction |
Plot development
1. Introduction and exposition
The story begins by introducing Mr Utterson, a reliable lawyer who narrates most events. He discovers that a violent man called Mr Hyde once trampled a child, then later paid compensation using Dr Jekyll's cheque. This connection between the respected Jekyll and the evil Hyde creates the central mystery that drives the entire plot.
The initial connection between Jekyll and Hyde through the cheque is the first crucial clue that something unusual links these two very different men.
2. Rising action
Tension builds as Hyde becomes increasingly dangerous and unpredictable. Jekyll's friends observe his odd behaviour and growing isolation from society. The brutal murder of Sir Danvers Carew shocks London and intensifies the mystery. Suspense grows as Utterson desperately tries to understand Jekyll's connection to the murderous Hyde.
Key Plot Escalation: The Carew Murder
The murder of Sir Danvers Carew represents a turning point in the novel:
- Hyde's violence escalates from trampling a child to committing murder
- Public outrage increases pressure on Jekyll
- The crime makes Hyde a wanted man, forcing him into hiding
- Jekyll's behaviour becomes even more secretive and disturbing
3. Climax
Jekyll vanishes completely while Hyde appears to have gained complete control. When Utterson and Poole break down the laboratory door, they find Hyde dead from suicide. Jekyll seems to have disappeared entirely, creating the story's most dramatic moment.
4. Falling action and resolution
Documents written by Dr Lanyon and Dr Jekyll finally reveal the complete truth. Lanyon witnessed Hyde's transformation back into Jekyll. Jekyll confesses that he created a chemical formula to separate his good and evil personalities, but gradually lost control over these changes. Realising that Hyde had taken over permanently, Jekyll chose to end his own life.
The revelation comes through written documents rather than direct narration, which allows readers to discover the shocking truth alongside the characters.
Structural techniques
Multiple narratives
The story is told through letters, reports, and witness accounts, which creates suspense while allowing readers to gather clues from different sources, much like detectives investigating a case.
Withheld information
Stevenson deliberately conceals the truth about Jekyll's scientific experiments until the final chapters. This technique generates mystery and dramatic tension - readers sense something unusual is happening but cannot identify exactly what.
The withholding of information is crucial to the novel's impact. If readers knew from the beginning that Jekyll and Hyde were the same person, the story would lose its power and suspense.
Shifting perspectives
The viewpoint changes from Utterson's investigation to Lanyon's eyewitness account and finally Jekyll's personal confession, showing how different characters react to the same shocking events.
Chronological confusion
Events are not presented in order. The final chapters take readers back in time, revealing what actually occurred before Hyde's death. This backwards revelation makes the truth more dramatic.
Circular structure
The novel concludes where it started - in Jekyll's house - but now the mystery has been solved. This circular pattern reinforces themes about consequences and moral responsibility.
Effect of structure on the reader
The novel's structure creates several powerful effects:
- Builds suspense and curiosity as readers actively try to solve the mystery alongside the characters
- Reflects the theme of secrecy and hidden nature - just as Jekyll conceals Hyde, Stevenson hides the truth from readers
- Makes the final revelation more dramatic and shocking when the complete truth is finally exposed
- Encourages readers to question scientific ethics and moral boundaries, particularly the dangers of trying to separate good from evil
The structure itself becomes a metaphor for the novel's central theme - the hidden, dual nature of humanity is reflected in the hidden, layered structure of the narrative.
Summary
Key Points to Remember:
- The novel follows a mystery structure with events told through letters and multiple narrators, creating suspense as readers piece together clues
- The climax occurs when Utterson and Poole discover Hyde's body in Jekyll's laboratory
- Final documents explain Jekyll's transformation experiment and the failure that led to his destruction
- The structure builds suspense, mystery, and moral tension throughout the story, reflecting the theme of hidden evil
- The ending reveals the moral lesson: human beings cannot separate their good and evil sides without destroying themselves