Author: Jamela

Jamela Fontaine 

Professor Scanlan 

ENG 3407 Gothic Literature  

October 25, 2020

Gothic Literature are allegories foreshadowing modern day society ? 

Midterm Essay 

In the short novel, “ Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, author Robert Louis Stevenson conveys the spirit of perverseness through the actions of the main protagonist Dr. Jekyll, who seems to have an alter ego that’s the embodiment of his violent and evil urges. This strongly resonates with the theme of Shirley Jackson story, “the Lottery” in which a seemingly normal town’s annual tradition turns out to be something more sinister than drawing a piece of paper. The components of gothic literature which emphasize violence and the desire for a return to normalcy can be seen in our present world. Regardless of what horrible or tragic things we hear in the news or read online there’s always a return to normalcy, we just move on and forget until something similar occurs again. This is a very important allegory both stories highlight. 

Throughout the mystery that is the, “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” a simple man named Mr. Utterson finds himself swept into whodunit situation when Mr. Enfield tells him about Hyde who trampled a girl recently, as Mr. Enfield continue to talk about Hyde who can only describe as, “must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn’t specify the point.(1)” As the mystery begins to unravel itself it become apparent that Hyde is Dr. Jekyll wicked counterpart made flesh by potion created by Dr. Jekyll; To justify he’s action Dr. Jekyll states in chapter 10, “When I would come back from these excursions, I was often plunged into a kind of wonder at my vicarious depravity. This familiar that I called out of my own soul, and sent forth alone to do his good pleasure, was a being inherently malign and villainous; his every act and thought centred on self;(5)” Although Dr. Jekyll acknowledged that Mr. Hyde was a part of him he refused to accept  that the actions of his counterpart as he’s own. Dr. Jekyll continues to put the blame on Mr. Hyde by stating, “It was Hyde, after all, and Hyde alone, that was guilty. Jekyll was no worse; he woke again to his good qualities seemingly unimpaired; he would even make haste, where it was possible, to undo the evil done by Hyde. And thus his conscience slumbered.(5)”.  Dr. Jekyll’s way of returning to normalcy was to acquit himself of Hyde’s terrible deeds as though he wasn’t the reason Hyde was created. Nevertheless, the most ironic part of the entire story is that Dr. Jekyll was a respected doctor which is a profession that focuses on the well-being of others had such a perverse side that ended up committing numerous crimes such as murder. 

In the story, “ The Lottery” takes place in a town in which all the members of the community begin to gather on the 27 of June and draws slips of paper from a black box and whomever has a dot on there slip is declared the winner, however it is not as rewarding as modern day lottery in which you can win millions but instead a sentence to an early death. Main character Tessie Hutchinson who stands more than others since arriving late to on an important event she forgot took place that day. Up until the moment her family draws the marked paper Tessie is a bind follower of the tradition like the rest of the townspeople then she begins to open up her eyes. For instances, “Tessie,” Mr. Summers said. She hesitated for a minute, looking around defiantly, and then set her lips and went up to the box. She snatched a paper out and held it behind her.(5)” Tessie Hutchinson and Dr. Jekyll shared this commonality when it comes to the spirt of perverseness, they both try to evade the repercussions of their actions. If Tessie or her family was never deemed the winners of the lottery would she have protested the tradition? 

Another character that has similarities with with Dr. Jekyll from the, “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde” Mr. Summer, who’s a seemingly simple business man who devotes he’s energy to “civic activities(1)” Although he holds a neutral role throughout the story he was a key member in the commencement of the annual lottery and held enough social power to possible get the tradition to stop like other towns did, however he did nothing. For example, “There was a great deal of fussing to be done before Mr. Summers declared the lottery open. There were the lists to make up–of heads of families, heads of households in each family, members of each household in each family. There was the proper swearing-in of Mr. Summers by the postmaster, as the official of the lottery.(2)”This relates to Dr.Jekyll who blamed Hyde for all his evil acts although he was an accomplice to the crimes just like Mr. Summer was to the fate of the townspeople. The story conclude with Tessie nominated as the winner followed by being stoned to death by her fellow neighbors. The gothic irony of this story was all through the story as the words used in the story portray positive connotations but ended leading up violent resolution. There’s also a betray of innocence through the story, specifically with the children of the town. In  the last paragraphs it’s stated, “The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready. . .The children had stones already. And someone gave little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles.(6)” This is such an important allegory for modern day society because children are exposed to violence at such a young age without truly understand.

In conclusion both short stories, ‘ Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” written by Stevenson and “The Lottery” by author Shirley Jackson gothic concepts such as violence emphasizes the spirt of perverseness that isn’t online visible in literature but in our real life. Things don’t have to be the uncanny like it was in “the Lottery” to be seem in the reality we live in; Just as the fantastic, which may not be a blatantly obvious in our lives seeming as the supernatural stems from fiction but at times our reality comes pretty close to what is demonstrated in gothic literature.