Classic Trash discussion

This topic is for those who have finished the book. Feel free to spoil away!

So, I finished this about 4 hours ago on the bus coming home, a first-time read for me. The more it sits with me the more I like it; a good sign that.

I had a really hard time with the style of English used at first. Actually, I had a hard time with it all the way through, but less towards the end. I am a slow reader to begin with and having to wrap my head around the sentence structure every line didn't help. :-) But, now that I am done with it I can't imagine it being written any other way, in any other style. I would applaud the decision to use that style for the book but I have a feeling it is just an accident of the times it was written. I might have to try another classic of that period and see. But, I might wait just a little while, I would be embarrassed to tell you how long those 93 pages took me. :-)

I came to this book knowing the general story or outline of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but that is all I knew. I have never seen one of those movies that Heidi listed. I knew about the transformation but I had no idea it was such a small part of the book; while still being the central theme of course. If this was a HollyWood book then all that pre-amble would be over in the first few pages and the good doctor would spend the rest of the book just transforming and killing things. :-) In that whole book, one murder, thats it! And from that we have this amazing horrible monster that has lasted since 1886. Pretty cool. I might have to go look and see when Frankenstein came into existence.

Anyway, hats off to Robert Louis Stevenson.

I really enjoyed this. I've read it before, but it was a couple of years ago, and the story still felt fresh to me. I'm a big Stevenson fan, and this stands up there with his very best.

Gregory makes some interesting points when he talks about the difference between this book, and modern horror movies; this is totally different. What it lacks in blood and gore, it makes up in atmosphere. Who would not be horrified to find that their beloved friend had becomes something so horrible? This book isn't about murder, or even about science run amok. It's about the need for people to take responsibility for their own choices and what can happen if they don't. Jekyll cannot reconcile what he really wants with what he feels he should be, and so he creates the diminished and depraved Hyde to give him permission to let loose. But Hyde isn't the real bad guy, it's Jekyll, who tries to abdicate responsibility for his own desires. It's just good stuff.

Awww... you guys made all the good comments!

I too love Stevenson, and actually think this is my favorite book of his. And I like the issue of "taking responsibility," but I also love the core premise, of our own duality. Maybe most/many of us don't have desire to do real harm, but we all certainly have some socially unacceptable cravings. And sometimes in moments of anger, or feeling hurt by another, of having a button pushed too many times -- it is our better self which shows through.

But if we all the time let loose every hedonistic and wicked craving, how might we react if even a loved one "pushed that button" one too many times.

I LOVE that. These old horror stories used it to symbolize what was in us. Frankenstein about the responsibility of God and as we come to control our environment more, the responsibility of us. Portrait of Dorian Gray... well, i guess that's almost identical to Jekyll/Hyde (Gregory, you might like that one, which is has similar themes and archaic writing style, but is by Oscar Wilde, so has nice wit to boot).

Another stellar choice, Adelaide!

Thanks for the recommendation Christopher, I just bought it and will read it after I finish Spin. This will actually be my very first Oscar Wilde book!

Hey Greg, after you finish reading The Portrait of Dorian Gray (which is super good,) lets get together and watch the movie. It's one of my favorites!

Sounds great.

Huh. Curous. Which version (I haven't seen any). The one with Colin Firth?

NO! The 1945 version with Hurd Hatfield. It's so good.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037988/?...

Thx!

Just musing here, but I was just thinking how much I loved the twist in that Jekyll was searching so desperately for the pure form of some chemical, getting frustrated again and again that they weren't pure because it wasn't working. And finally, giving up to reality, recognizes that he isn't getting impure samples NOW, it was the ORIGINAL sample which was impure. So nicely played, Stevenson.

I really enjoyed the book. It's more psychological thriller than horror. Has anyone read Hyde by Daniel Levine? It's the story from Hyde's POV. It's actualy very good.

Also, if you want to know the backstory, reading Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan tells that story.