A Clever Mystery with a Hasty Ending
“Man is not truly one, but truly two.”
The novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson has an exceptional plot that’s captivating and well thought; however, its ending is too fast paced and rushed.
The story revolves around three main characters: Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected scientist who’s tired of needing to keep his good reputation; Mr. Utterson, a trustworthy friend of Dr. Jekyll who sticks to his principles; and Mr. Edward Hyde, the seemingly antagonist of the story. When the book first starts out, the readers are led to believe Mr. Hyde is the villain in the story who hurts innocent people and even commits murders. However, the true plot of the story quickly unravels as Steveson begins to hint Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are actually the same person despite Dr. Jekyll believing that he has separated man’s evil and good into two distinct parts.
The novella has a clever plot that’s written in a way so the mystery isn’t obviously clear but isn’t too vague either. Through the story, Stevenson drops subtle hints at the plot twist and leads the readers to figure out the revelation of the mystery. There weren’t plot holes or any difficult to understand scenes.
Additionally, the novella teaches morals and lessons of responsibility and consequences to readers. In the 1800s, men often had pressure to keep their reputation no matter what. Dr. Jekyll is clearly portrayed as an immoral man with a lack of responsibility who wants to keep this reputation but also wants to commit crimes, and as a result, he receives horrible consequences at the resolution. On the other hand, Mr. Utterson is portrayed as a trustworthy and responsible man who tries to help his troubled friend.
But the criticism in store for this novella, although some disagree, is its fast pace. “Although some disagree” hedges the criticism before you’ve made it, in the same way “on a personal note” did in Round 1. Cut it.]Many argue the story’s incredibly quick pacing in usually under 100 pages contributes to suspense and thrill for the reader as well as the enjoyment of finishing it in one or two sittings. But a more polished resolution would have been a stronger finish. The book ends with an even faster pace than the rest of the plot, with a sudden and slightly confusing end. The reader is left confused on why the ending just so suddenly occurred with Dr. Jekyll committing suicide as Utterson began searching for him. Just as the reader is curious on what is to happen next, the book just ends. If the ending was just slightly elongated, it would’ve been an even better read.
