Writing essays about hypocrisy in 'Jekyll and Hyde'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can make connections between ideas about hypocrisy, discretion and privacy within a planned extended response.
Key learning points
- Dr. Jekyll is hypocritical because he conceals his wicked other self under a facade of respectability.
- Mr. Utterson is discreet and careful to respect the privacy of others.
- Dr. Lanyon keeps secrets and thereby allows Dr. Jekyll’s hypocrisy to flourish.
- 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
Students often think all the characters are hypocritical because they are all keeping secrets.
Keep drawing their attention back to the keywords and their definitions.
Teacher tip
Students could have a good discussion about what information should be kept secret and what shouldn't and who has the right to determine levels of privacy.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Starting with the first, put the following events of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' in chronological order.
Q2.What word beginning with 'h' means a person who pretends to be more moral than they actually are?
Q3.In 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which two characters are, or have been, friends of Dr. Jekyll?
Q4.Match the quotations from 'Jekyll and Hyde' with the character.
Mr. Utterson
Dr. Lanyon
Dr. Jekyll
Q5.In 'Jekyll and Hyde', Mr. Utterson says that he lets his brother "go to the devil in his own way". What important biblical story does this quotation reference?
Q6.Mr. Utterson says that he lets his brother "go to the devil in his own way". What does he mean by that?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What word beginning with 'D' means you are careful to keep sensitive information private?
Q2.What word beginning with 'D' belongs in the following sentence: It is important to make a between morality and respectability?
Q3.What is the missing word from the following quote from 'Jekyll and Hyde': Mr. Utterson worries that Dr. Jekyll is being blackmailed because of "the of some old sin."
Q4.What does Mr. Utterson mean when he says that he is "ashamed" of his "long tongue" in chapter 1 of 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'?
Q5.Match the different elements of a planned response to their function.
overarching evaluative argument focused on purpose
outline arguments of each paragraph
key language, form, structure or contextual detail
summarise argument in each paragraph
conclusive summary of author’s message
Q6.Which of the following evidence best supports the idea that Dr. Lanyon is not hypocritical in 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Writing essays about hypocrisy in 'Jekyll and Hyde', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Writing essays about hypocrisy in 'Jekyll and Hyde', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Jekyll & Hyde: society as the villain unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.