characterisation in comics! MEETING MR HYDE

Aims  To explore the differences between how characters are created in novels and comics  To explore and discuss the creative decisions made by comic artists and writers  To develop our confidence in presenting our ideas back to the class

The divided class... Team ‘Jekyll’ Activity  Read the extracts from Robert Louis Stevenson’s original novel.  Highlight the key points where you feel you learn something about Mr Hyde. Discuss your ideas in pairs.  Fill out your worksheet showing what we learn about Hyde, and how.  Think about his appearance, his voice, what he says, how he acts, how others react to him...  Back up your ideas by quoting Stevenson’s use of language.

The divided class... Team ‘Hyde’ Activity  Read over chapters 1 & 2 of the graphic novel. Skim and scan to find information about Mr Hyde.  In pairs, discuss what we find out about him as a character.  Fill out your worksheet showing what we learn about Hyde, and how.  Think about his appearance, his voice, what he says, how he acts, how others react to him...  Back up your ideas by saying how you know – think about artwork, lettering, layout, text etc...

Enfield’s Tale... All at once, I saw two figures: one a little man who was stumping along eastward at a good walk, and the other a girl of maybe eight or ten who was running as hard as she was able down a cross street. Well, sir, the two ran into one another naturally enough at the corner; and then came the horrible part of the thing; for the man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground. It sounds nothing to hear, but it was hellish to see. It wasn’t like a man; it was like some damned Juggernaut. I gave a view-halloa, took to my heels, collared my gentleman, and brought him back to where there was already quite a group about the screaming child. He was perfectly cool and made no resistance, but gave me one look, so ugly that it brought out the sweat on me like running. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson

Utterson’s thoughts of Hyde... “Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, and he spoke with a husky, whispering and somewhat broken voice; all these were points against him, but not all of these together could explain the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing, and fear with which Mr. Utterson regarded him. “There must be something else,” said the perplexed gentleman. “There is something more, if I could find a name for it. God bless me, the man seems hardly human! Something troglodytic, shall we say? Or can it be the old story of Dr. Fell? Or is it the mere radiance of a foul soul that thus transpires through, and transfigures, its clay continent? The last, I think; for, O my poor old Harry Jekyll, if ever I read Satan’s signature upon a face, it is on that of your new friend.” The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson

How do we know? What evidence is there? What do we know about the character of Mr Hyde?

How do we know? What evidence is there? What do we know about the character of Mr Hyde?

What have we learned about... How novelists create character? How comic writers/artists create character?