Susan Prigozen
AP Literature
Mrs. Sayre
18 November 2020
03.05 Research Paper
Humans have an innate need to explain phenomenon that continually reappears in life;
one way to attempt at explaining this is in literature such as explaining the innate good and evil
in us in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. John Steinbeck is quoted as saying “We only have one story.
All novels, all poetry are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil.” One
prime example of this occurring is in the classic novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde where the author
Robert Louis Stevenson approaches the topic of an innate good versus evil battle that resides in
all humans. A psychoanalytic approach to this novel leads one to research the science behind the
conversation of innate behavior in humans- especially that of good versus evil.
It is no question that people can be evil. During the Holocaust Jew’s hands were sewn on
backwards (Baron-Cohen). With things like this occurring in our world it is impossible to deny
that evil exists, but the real question is if it battles with a good? Mr. Hyde is described as “really
like Satan” (Stevenson 13) in the novel. An evil force in the book paired with the good Dr.
Jekyll: an internal battle of good versus evil. It can also be inferred that Dr. Jekyll is a
psychopath of sorts from his episode of stepping on a child with no remorse. An argument
presented is that “psychopaths are arguably the evilest of the evildoers” (Lametti), and I am
stating all of this to establish the purest form of evil is present here.
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 02-17-2023 09:16:33 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/76813384/0305-The-Research-Paperdocx/
, To believe that people are simply innately good or bad is an oversimplification of the
world (Taylor). Things are not simply black and white as it is so often attempted to be shown. In
a fluid way the two are exchanged- the good and the evil. Exchanging such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde exchanged in the book.
“The ‘fluidity’ of goodness” is the way that Steve Taylor phrased the fluid nature of the
good versus evil battle. A psychological process is which good and evil tendencies converse with
each other in different manners is a governing agent in the lives of many. While I have chosen to
focus on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; there are many literary works that focus on the nature of
people. A couple of examples are The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and The Heart of
Darkness by Joseph Conrad. This goes to show that many authors have explored human nature,
but the way Stevenson does it almost perfectly explores the duplicity of the battle of good and
evil in each individual.
Psychologists, philosophers, and religious leaders alike have searched for answers
regarding this internal battle. If you look at the subject religiously you find a devil versus angel
approach. This is one that is heavily implied throughout the story of Dr. Jekyll and his drug-
induced alter ego Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll, the good (or the angel figure in other words), is
established in society with an outstanding repour. He is a symbol of good- a hope that we all
have an innate good in us to battle with the evil. Mr. Hyde, the evil (or the devil figure in other
words), has had issues in society such as run-ins with many decent society people. The struggle
between them is kept a secret- this is made such to show an internal struggle. An angel on one
shoulder and a devil on the other. A symbolic struggle showed in the Bible when Adam and Eve
showed that we all have some trace amount of innate evil via them eating the apple.
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 02-17-2023 09:16:33 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/76813384/0305-The-Research-Paperdocx/
AP Literature
Mrs. Sayre
18 November 2020
03.05 Research Paper
Humans have an innate need to explain phenomenon that continually reappears in life;
one way to attempt at explaining this is in literature such as explaining the innate good and evil
in us in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. John Steinbeck is quoted as saying “We only have one story.
All novels, all poetry are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil.” One
prime example of this occurring is in the classic novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde where the author
Robert Louis Stevenson approaches the topic of an innate good versus evil battle that resides in
all humans. A psychoanalytic approach to this novel leads one to research the science behind the
conversation of innate behavior in humans- especially that of good versus evil.
It is no question that people can be evil. During the Holocaust Jew’s hands were sewn on
backwards (Baron-Cohen). With things like this occurring in our world it is impossible to deny
that evil exists, but the real question is if it battles with a good? Mr. Hyde is described as “really
like Satan” (Stevenson 13) in the novel. An evil force in the book paired with the good Dr.
Jekyll: an internal battle of good versus evil. It can also be inferred that Dr. Jekyll is a
psychopath of sorts from his episode of stepping on a child with no remorse. An argument
presented is that “psychopaths are arguably the evilest of the evildoers” (Lametti), and I am
stating all of this to establish the purest form of evil is present here.
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 02-17-2023 09:16:33 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/76813384/0305-The-Research-Paperdocx/
, To believe that people are simply innately good or bad is an oversimplification of the
world (Taylor). Things are not simply black and white as it is so often attempted to be shown. In
a fluid way the two are exchanged- the good and the evil. Exchanging such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde exchanged in the book.
“The ‘fluidity’ of goodness” is the way that Steve Taylor phrased the fluid nature of the
good versus evil battle. A psychological process is which good and evil tendencies converse with
each other in different manners is a governing agent in the lives of many. While I have chosen to
focus on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; there are many literary works that focus on the nature of
people. A couple of examples are The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and The Heart of
Darkness by Joseph Conrad. This goes to show that many authors have explored human nature,
but the way Stevenson does it almost perfectly explores the duplicity of the battle of good and
evil in each individual.
Psychologists, philosophers, and religious leaders alike have searched for answers
regarding this internal battle. If you look at the subject religiously you find a devil versus angel
approach. This is one that is heavily implied throughout the story of Dr. Jekyll and his drug-
induced alter ego Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll, the good (or the angel figure in other words), is
established in society with an outstanding repour. He is a symbol of good- a hope that we all
have an innate good in us to battle with the evil. Mr. Hyde, the evil (or the devil figure in other
words), has had issues in society such as run-ins with many decent society people. The struggle
between them is kept a secret- this is made such to show an internal struggle. An angel on one
shoulder and a devil on the other. A symbolic struggle showed in the Bible when Adam and Eve
showed that we all have some trace amount of innate evil via them eating the apple.
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 02-17-2023 09:16:33 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/76813384/0305-The-Research-Paperdocx/
