SPOILER ALERT: please note that this post assumes you already know the ending of Robert Louis Stevenson’s, “The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”. If you don’t, please consider yourself extremely fortunate! Suggest you stop reading now and return to this post when you have read the book. Enjoy!
Over lunch last week one of my English teacher colleagues was talking about how, when studying a novel, a small number of students in the class will race ahead, find out the ending and then spoil it for everyone else. Of course, the extent to which this is an annoyance depends on the book. I would give Lionel Shriver’s “Big Brother” as a strong example of a book which one experiences very differently the first time not knowing how it finishes to subsequent reads when one does – I’ll not say more because I don’t want to do any more spoiling of the ending of books in this post.
The particular case in point was, “The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.” The idea that the two people are in fact one is so well known to me as almost to be part of the English language. Although I have no memory of actually having previously read the book at any stage in my life, nor even of seeing the story on screen. So it was quite a surprise to be told that, in the book, it is not initially at all clear that the two characters are in fact one. And interesting to hear that, when it is used as a school text for 12-year-olds (thereabouts, English teachers, please correct me if I’m wrong!) that the grand reveal comes as an enormous surprise. So long, of course, as somebody hasn’t already spoilt the surprise for them.
So, I determined to read the book. To discover that it is very short, cover to cover took me about one and a half hours. I so, so wish that I could have read it without knowing what was going to happen! It is beautifully written so that the uninitiated reader doesn’t know where it’s heading, and if you do, there’s nothing which has you thinking, “Hold on! Since Dr Jekyll IS Mr Hyde, THAT can’t have happened!”
So the big question for me reading the book was how the grand reveal comes about. Somewhat to my surprise, it’s about 3/4 of the way through the book, I was expecting it to be right at the very end. The remainder of the book is a first hand account from Dr Jekyll about his journey to discover his alter ego and how it gradually got out of control. So, lots to hold my interest notwithstanding.
I know the grass is always greener on the other side, but it must be such fun to be an English teacher and present at some of the, “Really? Dr Jekyll IS Mr Hyde?” moments. I think the closest we come in mathematics is the occasional sense, maybe when doing quadratic equations or trigonometry, of, “This is great! I am doing something today which I very definitely couldn’t do yesterday!”
Of course, much learning at school is work-a-day, incremental, you can’t expect each and every one of the 15 000 or so hours that we spent at school to have an ‘A ha!’ moment. When they come they’re really special. Please, don’t spoil the endings of books for youngsters who have not read them! And there’s plenty of literature in the world which is not so well known but still great to read, let’s all endeavour to keep reading and learning, part, I suggest, of our mission to reflect the mind of Christ.
Two things as I finish. Whilst searching for ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ on my Kindle I came across two huge great volumes, 75p (about US$1) each, called, “50 Masterpieces you have to read before you die.” A quick glance at the contents – “Robinson Crusoe”, “Tarzan of the Apes”, “A Room with a View” – reveals loads of books of which I’ve heard but can’t remember ever reading. So watch this space! May well be back on this theme soon.
Secondly, another theme I may well be writing about in due course is Biblical integration, the idea that, as a Christian school, Biblical principles should underpin the entirety of the curriculum. Certainly “Jekyll and Hyde” lends itself extremely well to analysis from a Christian perspective, including the nature of humanity before God, sin, and much else. Meanwhile, if there’s anything else you think might be interesting to read about, please let me know. Thank you for reading today, I’ll be back in touch soon!
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