Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has become a classic piece of gothic fiction. It tells the story of the reputable Dr. Jekyll, whose well-adapted mask of Victorian propriety begins to crack as the wicked, shadowy side of his soul seeks expression. When a chemical experiment frees the monstrous Mr. Hyde from Dr. Jekyll, the streets of Victorian London become a dangerous place to tread. In vivid, richly allusive prose, Stevenson weaves a classic tale of the internal battle between good and evil, civility and barbarity.

Skills: analysis, close reading, drawing inferences from a text, interpreting implications of allusions

About This Document

The Owl Eyes Allusions activity gives students an opportunity to practice identifying and analyzing allusions. Allusions broaden the scope of a text and imbue passages of the text with deeper meaning by subtly drawing on literature, history, science, geography, philosophy, mythology, or other cultural sources. The main components of this activity include the following:

• A contextualized paragraph of the text
• A handout defining “allusion” with examples from classic works
• A list of tips for spotting allusions
• A step-by-step guide to activity procedure
• An example answer

In completing this activity, students will be able to identify, analyze, and interpret allusions, thereby accessing deeper meanings within the text.