Good And Evil In Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde

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Good and evil is a constant theme in today’s society. Everybody is faced with the decision in some point in their life to act good or evil in a situation. If a good person does bad things, does that mean that they are evil? This is a constant theme in the novel. “Good” is defined of being morally excellent. That’s what everyone thought of Dr. Jekyll. He was a good man who everyone respected and would ask for help if needed, but on the inside Dr. Jekyll had evil compulsions that he was struggling to control. Evil is defined as morally wrong or bad. Dr. Jekyll had an evil side to him on the inside so he created Mr. Hyde so he could act on those evil compulsions. Society defines good as a lack of self-centredness. It means the ability to empathise with other people, to feel compassion for them, and to put their needs before your own. Evil is defined in society as those who are unable to empathise with others. As a result, their own needs and desires are of paramount importance. They are selfish, self-absorbed and narcissistic.
Dr. Jekyll had a …show more content…
Jekyll kills a close friend of his named Sir Danvers Crew while in in the form of Mr. Hyde. This is the first sign that Dr. Jekyll was losing control of his own evil creation and that Mr. Hyde was starting to consume him. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are two complete opposites when you think about it. Dr. Jekyll is a well respected doctor and philanthropist who is known for being kind and helpful. He is the definition of good. Then there is Mr. Hyde who is a repulsive, cruel, awful man who hurts people. He is evil in all forms. Dr. Jekyll is this polished man on the outside but on the inside he’s feeling all of these dark compulsions to hurt people. He doesn’t want to admit to himself that he anything other than a “good” person. "It's not me (Jekyll) who did those things, because they are not the kind of things I (Jekyll) do." No, it was someone else; in short, Hyde. Ergo, I (Jekyll) am innocent.”
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