Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Setting Analysis

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The setting of a story can be useful in placing and describing the location of the plot to not only keep the story grounded, but to also give details to the characters and their personalities. The story “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” written by Robert Louis Stevenson, uses the settings and locations to help describe and represent the opposing personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the larger narrative. Using a dark and eerie setting while showcasing a character like Hyde helps bring out the mysterious character traits that he portrays, whereas using a setting that is more defined in a lighthearted place to help bring out Jekyll’s character encourages the contrast between the two characters. When the character Mr. Hyde is first introduced through another character named Mr. Enfield, Enfield describes the setting of the meeting to be eerie and dark, “about three o’ clock of a black winter morning, and my way lay through a part of town where there was literally nothing to be seen but lamps” (Stevenson, pg.6). As this is the reader’s first introduction to the character, the setting of the location reflects that Mr. Hyde may be a more mysterious character. Mr. Enfield also says that in their first meeting Hyde ‘tramples’ a young girl. This introduction to Hyde’s character is not a light and friendly one but one that leaves readers to be wary of this character and to make assumptions about his future plot and personality that is yet to be shown. When Mr.