Comparisons to Jekyll and Hyde?

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wazowski

Member
Nov 13, 2015
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Hi,
Do you think writing a comparative essay about "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "The Shining" would be appropriate?
Specifically about the representation of evil?
Examples would be appreciated :) Jack Torrance starts off as a normal guy but the evil within him comes out, tying in with Jekyll and Hyde which says everyone has some evil inside them.
I also think talking about duality of characters - with Danny and Tony as example - would be interesting, but this is pretty much all I can think of at the moment.

Thank you :)

p.s how often does Stephen King himself look here? Because a response from him would be unbelievably helpful!! I won't get my hopes up though..
 

Moderator

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Hi,
Do you think writing a comparative essay about "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "The Shining" would be appropriate?
Specifically about the representation of evil?
Examples would be appreciated :) Jack Torrance starts off as a normal guy but the evil within him comes out, tying in with Jekyll and Hyde which says everyone has some evil inside them.
I also think talking about duality of characters - with Danny and Tony as example - would be interesting, but this is pretty much all I can think of at the moment.

Thank you :)

p.s how often does Stephen King himself look here? Because a response from him would be unbelievably helpful!! I won't get my hopes up though..
Honestly not sure how often he peeks in but he doesn't respond personally to questions or comments although he has answered through me the ones I've sent on to him.
 

Blake

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Feb 18, 2013
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I've found out who it is pretending to be Stephen King coming on this website but I'm not saying. I think he check's his website every second day for about one hour. I don't know if a comparison with those two books can be made. After all, Dr. Jekyll was taking a potion.
 

wazowski

Member
Nov 13, 2015
9
25
23
I've found out who it is pretending to be Stephen King coming on this website but I'm not saying. I think he check's his website every second day for about one hour. I don't know if a comparison with those two books can be made. After all, Dr. Jekyll was taking a potion.
Even if the ways in which the evil came out in the two different books was different, could I compare what happens after that? Like with the examples given.
If not, I'll be comparing Jekyll and Hyde with Lord Of The Flies:(
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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I've found out who it is pretending to be Stephen King coming on this website but I'm not saying. I think he check's his website every second day for about one hour. I don't know if a comparison with those two books can be made. After all, Dr. Jekyll was taking a potion.
...so was Jack, it's called "alcohol"...and WTH are you talking about man?...."pretending to be SK"?....
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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........................................
This isn't an essay I'm writing for fun ok
....seriously?...I was complimenting you-and as a reader and author of many an essay over the years, I feel I'm a pretty good judge of what makes for not only an entertaining but also educational treatise...so pull the attitude back....ok?......
 
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wazowski

Member
Nov 13, 2015
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....seriously?...I was complimenting you-and as a reader and author of many an essay over the years, I feel I'm a pretty good judge of what makes for not only an entertaining but also educational treatise...so pull the attitude back....ok?......
I thought you were being sarcastic omg SORRY
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
Hi,
Do you think writing a comparative essay about "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "The Shining" would be appropriate?
Specifically about the representation of evil?
Examples would be appreciated :) Jack Torrance starts off as a normal guy but the evil within him comes out, tying in with Jekyll and Hyde which says everyone has some evil inside them.
I also think talking about duality of characters - with Danny and Tony as example - would be interesting, but this is pretty much all I can think of at the moment.

Thank you :)

p.s how often does Stephen King himself look here? Because a response from him would be unbelievably helpful!! I won't get my hopes up though..
I think it's a stretch, but might be easier than comparing it to Lord of the Flies; I don't see any points of comparison there. Are these your only choices? I.E., is the assignment to compare J&H to something, or is a classic lit course where you can use anything? If that's the case, there are much stronger comparisons to be made between Frankenstein and Revival. Actually, I think comparisons between J&H and Revival could be made pretty easily, as well.
 
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wazowski

Member
Nov 13, 2015
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I think it's a stretch, but might be easier than comparing it to Lord of the Flies; I don't see any points of comparison there. Are these your only choices? I.E., is the assignment to compare J&H to something, or is a classic lit course where you can use anything? If that's the case, there are much stronger comparisons to be made between Frankenstein and Revival. Actually, I think comparisons between J&H and Revival could be made pretty easily, as well.
It could be anything theoretically, but since lotf and j&h are the texts we read in class and are suggested to use, that's what most people are going for. The teacher said at least one of them has got to be before the 18th century.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
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With that guideline, another intersting comparison is between Frankenstein and Of Mice and Men. :) But I get what you're saying: you want to use a book you've discussed in class. If you're sure you want to use a SK book and you've read it, I think points of comparison between Revival and Jekyll & Hyde might be easier to find. Though, as GNTLGNT said, Jack's use of alcohol could be compared to Jekyll's potion, that leaves out the influence of the hotel--it's not just the alcohol that acts on Jack, KWIM? Both books do use the 'Werewolf' archetype, but Revival fits more neatly.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
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misunderstanding, all is well.
gollum-awkward.gif
:biggrin2:
 
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GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
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With that guideline, another interesting comparison is between Frankenstein and Of Mice and Men. :) But I get what you're saying: you want to use a book you've discussed in class. If you're sure you want to use a SK book and you've read it, I think points of comparison between Revival and Jekyll & Hyde might be easier to find. Though, as GNTLGNT said, Jack's use of alcohol could be compared to Jekyll's potion, that leaves out the influence of the hotel--it's not just the alcohol that acts on Jack, KWIM? Both books do use the 'Werewolf' archetype, but Revival fits more neatly.
56831218.jpg
 
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summer_sky

Well-Known Member
Oct 15, 2015
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I've found out who it is pretending to be Stephen King coming on this website but I'm not saying. <snip>
Ok, my curiosity compels me...
How exactly did you come to "find out" this piece of information?
Is this community member to whom you allude actually and deliberately perpetrating a ruse for whatever purposes...
or is it simply your own imagination and hopes that SK is using an alias persona to read and interact with his website's forum community members?

Re: Jekyll and Hyde
Do not we all, to some extend, have a Jekyll and Hyde aspect to our identity? Isn't this a regular theme of the human condition that King's writings confront/highlight?
 
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