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What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

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Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#31
post #23
post #3

This is all absolutely correct, but what I feel it misses is that the mythic power of the story lies in our enjoying it, reading it naively. In other words we deliberately read it ourselves in repressed mode. If we read it the first time with the kind of clarity suggested here then we don't actually feel its power: we are merely interested - rather than complicit.

Astute observation, succinctly put. I would additionally add that it also works the other way; if a story's themes and metaphors are too clear before the story is over, it can damage suspension of disbelief and hurt enjoyment. This is one reason why the typical teaching methodology of a US high school English class typically has the effect of blunting the enjoyment of classic literature - students are not usually giv…

Why would you not read the book in it entirety first as home work or in the holiday before you are due to cover the book in class?

I certainly read all of my assigned texts an din the case of classical studies several other books and plays in the cannon.

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#32

The 2010's version of this is a well-educated, well-raised, mild-mannered, socially-liberal, employed, tech-savvy millennial who starts on 4chan, moves on to /r/redpill and /r/mensrights, graduates to trolling and doxxing women on twitter, all for the LULZ. Eventually his freedom to "act as he can't in real life" leads to electing Donald Trump and a full on embracement of the alt-right agenda.

Most of the doxxing I've read about recently has been sjw-led reddit witch hunts. >.>

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#33

I've never even read that book, but I probably should. As it's described in the article, I see many parallels with today's anonymised internet culture - we can be someone else, someone who doesn't have to fear any consequences for what he says, we can lie on the internet to (try to) form other's perception of ourselves, thus being whoever we want to be. But ultimately it's still the same person making those decisions…

Arguably its about the hypocrisy of Victorian England

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#34
post #3

This is all absolutely correct, but what I feel it misses is that the mythic power of the story lies in our enjoying it, reading it naively. In other words we deliberately read it ourselves in repressed mode. If we read it the first time with the kind of clarity suggested here then we don't actually feel its power: we are merely interested - rather than complicit.

I haven't read the original story, but in all the film adaptations I've seen, I've always interpreted Hyde as the violent, visceral side which Jekyll would express more often if he weren't so restrained by his veneer of civility.

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#35
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Astute observation, succinctly put. I would additionally add that it also works the other way; if a story's themes and metaphors are too clear before the story is over, it can damage suspension of disbelief and hurt enjoyment. This is one reason why the typical teaching methodology of a US high school English class typically has the effect of blunting the enjoyment of classic literature - students are not usually giv…

Why would you not read the book in it entirety first as home work or in the holiday before you are due to cover the book in class? I certainly read all of my assigned texts an din the case of classical studies several other books and plays in the cannon.

Why would you not read the book in it entirety first as home work or in the holiday before you are due to cover the book in class?

Because they're teenagers with better things to do with their time than reading old 'boring' books by a bunch of pointless dead people.

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#36

Mr. Robot comes to mind when thinking about this. I don't know that Elliot wants Mr. Robot, but maybe in the beginning he did. He certainly needed him.

I'd argue this is exactly what the author is saying jeckyll and Hyde _isnt_.

> Jekyll is not unaware or out of control when he’s Hyde. He does not wake up with no memory of what happened the night before. He remembers perfectly everything he does as Hyde, because he was in control the whole time.

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#37

I've never even read that book, but I probably should. As it's described in the article, I see many parallels with today's anonymised internet culture - we can be someone else, someone who doesn't have to fear any consequences for what he says, we can lie on the internet to (try to) form other's perception of ourselves, thus being whoever we want to be. But ultimately it's still the same person making those decisions…

Arguably its about the hypocrisy of Victorian England

Yeah, same as the Picture of Dorian Gray, which has similar themes.

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#38
post #32

The 2010's version of this is a well-educated, well-raised, mild-mannered, socially-liberal, employed, tech-savvy millennial who starts on 4chan, moves on to /r/redpill and /r/mensrights, graduates to trolling and doxxing women on twitter, all for the LULZ. Eventually his freedom to "act as he can't in real life" leads to electing Donald Trump and a full on embracement of the alt-right agenda.

Most of the doxxing I've read about recently has been sjw-led reddit witch hunts. >.>

Unless they're also playing two roles, I don't see the relevance.

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#39
post #32

The 2010's version of this is a well-educated, well-raised, mild-mannered, socially-liberal, employed, tech-savvy millennial who starts on 4chan, moves on to /r/redpill and /r/mensrights, graduates to trolling and doxxing women on twitter, all for the LULZ. Eventually his freedom to "act as he can't in real life" leads to electing Donald Trump and a full on embracement of the alt-right agenda.

Most of the doxxing I've read about recently has been sjw-led reddit witch hunts. >.>

I would say you’re really not paying attention then. That or selection bias.

Re: What Everybody Gets Wrong About Jekyll and Hyde (2012)

#40
It's a good two decades since last I read the book but... I always read it as an allegory for repression and a potion which let Hyde live out his own desires and drives without the mores of society or upbringing holding sway, without guilt etc. etc.

However I suppose I did think the potion did something to release him from this, rather than being merely an excuse.

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