Video: Story of the Door (Part 1)

﻿Hello and welcome to today's lesson on Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. We will be looking at an extract from the first chapter today, story of the door. You will need your pen and something to write on. And you will also need to find a quiet space where you can concentrate. Let's get started. In today's lesson, we will be considering this key question. How is Utterson presented at the start of the novel and how does this reflect Victorian attitudes? Utterson is a key character. This is the structure of today's lesson. In part one, we will look at some key vocabulary. In part two, we will go over key context. In part three, we will read a section of chapter one and answer some questions. In part four, we will be applying our learning. And then in part five, you will complete a review quiz to test what you've learned today. Part one, key vocabulary. In this lesson, we will be learning the words self-restraint and reputation. Let's look at self-restraint to begin with. Here is a definition of the word, an ability to control your own actions. Here's an example of it being used in a sentence. The chocolate cake was delicious, but he had enough self-restraint not to eat it. Here's a second example involving our key character from today's lesson. Mr. Utterson is a character who shows a high level of self-restraint. Let's look at our second word, reputation. Here is a definition of the word. The opinions or beliefs that are generally held about someone or something. Here's an example. Mr. Smith had a reputation for being very generous. And a second example. Mr. Utterson believes that the good reputation of his friend is extremely important. Reputation is an important concept for characters in the novel, "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Now, I would like you to write a sentence of your own that uses the word self-restraint. And I would like you to write a sentence of your own that uses the word reputation. Pause the video now so that you have a chance to complete your task. And then you can resume once you're finished. Part two, key context. The key context that we are going to look at today, is about the Victorian gentleman. Victorian gentleman was expected to maintain a good reputation and avoid any kind of scandal. So that means they were supposed to avoid any kind of situation where their good name would have been brought into disrepute. They were meant to value the ability to exercise self-restraint and self control. They were supposed to have a thorough knowledge of Christianity and exhibit charity to those in need. So they were meant to go to church and make sure that they behaved in accordance with what the Bible taught at all times. And they were also expected to show few outward emotions. You might have heard of the phrase keeping a stiff upper lip. Victorian gentlemen were meant to do just that, and they were not meant to show signs of emotion to other people really at all. Here is a task to show whether or not you have understood the key context. For each of these statements, write down whether or not they're true or false. Number one, a Victorian gentleman was supposed to maintain a good reputation. Number two, a Victorian gentleman gained social status if they were involved in scandal. Three, Victorian gentlemen were not meant to show self-restraint. Four, Victorian gentlemen were expected to show few outward signs of emotion. Pause the video now to write down your answers. Now check your answers. Number one was true. Victorian gentlemen were supposed to maintain a good reputation. Number two was false. Victorian gentlemen did not gain social status if they were involved in a scandal. In fact, it was quite the opposite. They wanted to avoid scandal at all costs. Number three, Victorian gentlemen were not meant to show self-restraint is false. They absolutely were meant to show self-restraint and self control, and not do things like drink too much or stay out too late. And number four, Victorian gentlemen were expected to show few outward signs of emotion, that's true. So pause the video and make sure that you've checked your answers. Now I want us to think about the title of the novel because this is important and we can learn a lot from it. So the title is "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." We are about to read the opening of the novella. It's sometimes referred to as a novella rather than a novel, which means that it's a short novel, almost like a short story. It's a shortened version of a novel. And that means that it's a novella. So what do we learn from the title? The first thing that we learn is that the story is described as a case. It involves a doctor, a respectable member of society. And also it's worth pausing and thinking about the adjective strange, which suggests that there is something puzzling about the story. Let's go on to part three. We will look at an extract of chapter one, the story of the door. We will now read the first chapter. Mr. Utterson the lawyer was a man of rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile. Cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse, backward in sentiment, lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow lovable. At friendly meetings and when the wine was to his taste, something eminently human beaconed from his eyes. Something indeed which never found its way into his talk, but which spoke not only in the silent symbols of the after-dinner face, but more often and loudly in the act of his life. He was austere with himself, drank gin when he was alone to mortify a taste for vintages. And though he enjoyed the theatre, he had not crossed the doors of one for 20 years. Let's just pause for a moment and look at the words in our glossary. So first of all, we have the phrase rugged countenance. This means that Utterson has a tough facial expression. Discourse is conversation. And when it says something eminently human beaconed from his eyes, it means it shone from his eyes. Finally austere means strict. So Utterson is strict with himself. But Utterson had an approved tolerance for others. Sometimes wondering almost with envy at the high pressure of spirits involved in their misdeeds, and in any extremity inclined to help rather than to reprove. I incline to Cain's heresy he used to say quaintly. I let my brother go to the devil in his own way. In this character, it was frequently his fortune to be the last reputable acquaintance and the last good influence in the lives of downgoing men. And to such as these as long as they came about his chambers, he never marked a shade of change in his demeanour. So let's pause to look at our glossary. Tolerance means to allow the existence of something without interfering. So we've learned that Utterson is a tolerant man. He doesn't reprove. That means he doesn't criticise And reputable means of good reputation. So he's man of good reputation and he is the last good influence in the lives of downgoing men. So the criminals that he is serving as a lawyer. Let's look again at the extract below. Utterson the lawyer was a man of rugged countenance that was never lighted by a smile. Cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse, backward in sentiment, lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow lovable. I want you to answer these questions. What does Mr. Utterson do for a living? What adjectives are used to describe him? What initial impression does Stevenson create of this character? Before you answer the questions, I just want to remind you that an adjective is a describing word. So what words does Stevenson use to describe the character of Utterson? Pause the video now, so that you can write down your answers. Now pause the video so that you can check your answers. Question one, Mr. Utterson is a lawyer. Question two, the adjective Stevenson uses are highlighted below. Check to see whether you picked them out correctly. Here's the answer to question three. The initial impression of Mr. Utterson's character is that he does not seem particularly warm or given to showing emotions, and that he is rather dull. Despite this, Stevenson suggests that he is still well liked as he is described as lovable. Check your work against this answer. You may not have written it down exactly as it appears here. Don't worry about that. But if there is anything that you think you should add, please amend your work now. Let's read to the next part of chapter one. No doubt the feat was easy to Mr. Utterson. For he was undemonstrative at the best, and even as friendship seemed to be founded in a similar catholicity of good-nature. It is the mark of a modest man to accept his friendly circle ready made from the hands of opportunity, and that was the lawyer's way. His friends were those of his own blood or those whom he had known the longest. His affections, like ivy, were the growth of time. They implied no aptness in the object. Hence, no doubt the bond that united him to Mr. Richard Enfield, his distant kinsmen, the well-known man about town. Let's just check our glossary. Undemonstrative means not giving to showing emotions. And kinsmen, means that he is related to Mr. Enfield. He's his kinsman, it means his of distant relation. It was a hard nut to crack for many, what these two could see in each other, or what subject they could find in common. It was reported by those who encountered them in their Sunday walks, that they said nothing, looked singularly dull and would hail with obvious relief the appearance of a friend. For all that, the two men put the greatest store by these excursions, counted them the chief jewel of each week, and not only set aside occasions of pleasure, but even resisted the calls of business that they might enjoy them uninterrupted. In the glossary, we can note that excursions means an outing, going on an outing. Now answer the questions below in full sentences. One, who does Mr. Utterson form friendships with? Two, what is meant by the phrase, his affections, like ivy, were the growth of time? Three, who is Mr. Richard Enfield and what did he and Mr. Utterson do when they meet up? Four, how do the two men behave when they are together? Five, how does the narrator make it clear these meetings are important to the two men? Pause the video now so that you're able to answer the questions. Now, you can check your answers against the ones written here. Question one, Mr. Utterson forms friendships with people he has known for a long time or people who are related to him. Question two, this simile suggests that Mr. Utterson's friendship grow stronger the longer he knows someone. Pause the video now in case there is something that you would like to add from these answers. Question three, Mr. Richard Enfield is a friend and distant relative of Mr. Utterson's. They meet up and go for walks around London. Question four, when they are together the two men say nothing, look bored and seem to be relieved to meet other friends on their walks. Question five, the narrator describes them as the chief jewel in the week for each of the men. Suggesting that the meetings are precious. Let's look again at Mr. Utterson and just deepen our understanding slightly of this character. So Mr. Utterson is described as tolerant. This suggests he does not interfere with the actions of others. And is quite happy for his friends to behave differently than the way that he would choose to behave. Mr. Utterson is curious about the misdeeds of his fellow men. In fact, at one point in the story right at the start, it says that he is almost envious of the misdeeds that his fellow men get up to. The third point I want us to consider is that Mr. Enfield is described as a man about town. Which suggests he is far less serious than Mr. Utterson. Yet the two are still friends. Part four, applying our learning. We are now going to answer the key question that we looked at at the start of the lesson. How is Utterson presented at the start of the novel? And how does this reflect Victorian attitudes? I want you to write a short response to the question above. You should spend at least 15 minutes writing. and I would like to try and include the words, self-restraint, reputation, and respectable Self-restraint and reputation were the two key words that we looked at at the start of the lesson. You may wish to mention what Mr. Utterson does for a living. The adjectives Steven uses to describe him, and what they suggest about him. His friendship with Richard Enfield. And whether he behaves like a Victorian gentleman. So you can think back to the contextual points we looked at describing Victorian gentlemen. Pause the video now, so that you have a chance to write your answer. You will then be able to have a look at a couple of example responses. Here is an example answer. Stevenson presents Mr. Utterson as a respectable Victorian gentleman who is dreary and not given to showing emotion. He is described as austere with himself, suggesting he is able to exercise self-restraint, something which was valued by Victorians. The fact he is a lawyer suggests that he is a respected member of society. Also, he is described as somehow lovable, suggesting people like him. His friendship with Richard Enfield is perhaps surprising, given that he has a reputation as a man about town. But shows that he's loyal to his friends and he values the companionship of his fellow man. Here is a more developed answer. Stevenson presents Mr. Utterson as a respectable Victorian gentleman who is a serious minded dreary lawyer, not given to showing emotion. Despite this, he is somehow lovable. Which suggests that there are two sides to his character. He is described as austere with himself, suggesting he is able to exercise self-restraint, something which was valued by Victorians. However, he is clearly interested in the misdeeds of others and wonders about them almost with envy. His friendship with Richard Enfield is perhaps surprising, given that he has a reputation as a man about town. But shows that his loyal to his friends and that he values the companionship of his fellow man. So this answer is effective because it's included the key words. And it's included some key points about Mr. Utterson. It tells us that he is a lawyer, and that even though he is quite dreary, he's also considered to be somehow lovable. From this answer, we understand that Mr. Utterson is able to exercise self-restraint which makes him seem like a typical Victorian gentleman. But that he is also able to be friends with Richard Enfield who is quite different to him. Part five, you should now complete the review quiz. Well done, that brings us to the end of our lesson today. Before I go, I want you to write down the three key things you feel that you have learned today. This will help with your revision later on. If you would like to, you can ask your parent or carer to share your work on Twitter, tagging @OakNational and #LearnwithOak. Next lesson, we will read a second section of chapter one, and we will find out more about what Mr. Enfield and Mr. Utterson get up to on their walk. Goodbye

Exit Quiz: Story of the Door (Part 1)

Completed: Story of the Door (Part 1)

In this lesson, we will meet the character of Mr Utterson and consider in what ways he is a typical Victorian gentleman.

English

Story of the Door (Part 1)

Video

Final Quiz

Lesson Complete