Key learning points

1. Dr. Jekyll is hypocritical because he conceals his wicked other self under a facade of respectability.
2. Mr. Utterson is discreet and careful to respect the privacy of others.
3. Dr. Lanyon keeps secrets and thereby allows Dr. Jekyll’s hypocrisy to flourish.
4. Stevenson is careful to draw a distinction between hypocrisy, discretion and privacy- although they all involve secrets.

Keywords

• Hypocrisy - Hypocrisy is when someone pretends to hold certain beliefs, while their actions and behaviour contradict or undermine these.

• Secretive - A secretive person keeps information private and hidden from others.

• Discreet - If you are discreet, you are careful to keep sensitive information confidential.

• Privacy - The word privacy refers to the state of being free from public attention.

• Distinction - When you make a distinction between two things, you show how they are different.

Common misconception