Good vs Evil Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
The world as we know it is constantly moving and changing; events occur that can affect people’s lives even if they are thousands of miles away. Whether or not these happenings are good or evil can shape one’s mindset and outlook on the actions they take themselves. Both have distinct strengths and weaknesses; however, the real question one must ask is which side of the spectrum is more capable of influencing humanity. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson, a wealthy and well-respected doctor by the name of Henry Jekyll, who believes that man is not one but two separate people, constructs a potion which unearths his inner evil (Mr. Edward Hyde), and in the end is engulfed by the strength of his malevolent persona. Although good is a preferred in society, the power of evil has more ability to spread over a larger scale and influence the minds of many; it is omnipresent, inevitable, and extremely easy to surrender to. As much as people would like to conceal their impure intentions and corrupt ways of life, somehow they are revealed and it is impossible to resist what truly lies inside. What classifies a person as either good or evil depends on what side of their soul they decide to let be in control. Once the bad side takes over it takes an immense amount of effort to get the good back. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll is consumed by the evil that lies within him. When Jekyll first consumes the potion he feels elated. Edward Hyde provides an alternate life for Jekyll. He is liberated of all cares and expectations. Nearing the end of the book, the reader gets a close look inside Jekyll’s mind and what was occurring when he switched between himself and Hyde. He tells about the early stages of his experiment: “I felt younger, lighter, happier in body… a solution of the bonds of obligation, an unknown but not an innocent freedom of the soul. I knew myself, at the first breath of this new life, to be more wicked, tenfold more wicked, sold
Cited: Libaw, Oliver. "Looking for Evil in Everyday Life." ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2013. Masters, Brian. "Are Some People Born Evil?" Mail Online. Associated Newspapers Ltd, 7 Feb. 2007. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. Stevenson, Robert Louis. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. New York: Bantam, 1981. 67-69. Print.