Summary
Utterson visits Jekyll in his laboratory after the Carew murder, finding his friend looking deathly ill and terrified. Jekyll swears he's done with Hyde forever and shows Utterson a letter supposedly from Hyde, claiming he has safe means of escape and releasing Jekyll from any obligation. The letter seems to put Jekyll in a better light, suggesting Hyde was the manipulator all along. But when Utterson asks Poole about the messenger, he learns no letter was delivered - meaning it came through the lab door, or worse, was written inside the house. Later, Utterson shows the letter to his clerk Guest, an expert in handwriting. When a dinner invitation from Jekyll arrives, Guest compares the two documents and makes a shocking discovery: the handwritings are nearly identical, just sloped differently. This means Jekyll likely forged the letter from Hyde to protect himself. The chapter reveals how fear can drive even respectable people to deception, and how those who should provide guidance sometimes choose comfortable lies over hard truths. Utterson realizes his friend has become a forger for a murderer, yet he locks the evidence away rather than confronting the reality. The story shows how crisis reveals character - and how good people can become complicit in covering up evil when it threatens someone they care about.
Coming Up in Chapter 6
Hyde vanishes completely despite massive rewards for his capture, but disturbing stories about his past cruelty begin to surface. The police uncover a trail of violence and strange associates, painting a picture of a man who seemed to inspire hatred wherever he went.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
T was late in the afternoon, when Mr. Utterson found his way to Dr. Jekyll’s door, where he was at once admitted by Poole, and carried down by the kitchen offices and across a yard which had once been a garden, to the building which was indifferently known as the laboratory or dissecting rooms. The doctor had bought the house from the heirs of a celebrated surgeon; and his own tastes being rather chemical than anatomical, had changed the destination of the block at the bottom of the garden. It was the first time that the lawyer had been received in that part of his friend’s quarters; and he eyed the dingy, windowless structure with curiosity, and gazed round with a distasteful sense of strangeness as he crossed the theatre, once crowded with eager students and now lying gaunt and silent, the tables laden with chemical apparatus, the floor strewn with crates and littered with packing straw, and the light falling dimly through the foggy cupola. At the further end, a flight of stairs mounted to a door covered with red baize; and through this, Mr. Utterson was at last received into the doctor’s cabinet. It was a large room fitted round with glass presses, furnished, among other things, with a cheval-glass and a business table, and looking out upon the court by three dusty windows barred with iron. The fire burned in the grate; a lamp was set lighted on the chimney shelf, for even in the houses the fog began to lie thickly; and there, close up to the warmth, sat Dr. Jekyll, looking deathly sick. He did not rise to meet his visitor, but held out a cold hand and bade him welcome in a changed voice. “And now,” said Mr. Utterson, as soon as Poole had left them, “you have heard the news?” The doctor shuddered. “They were crying it in the square,” he said. “I heard them in my dining-room.” “One word,” said the lawyer. “Carew was my client, but so are you, and I want to know what I am doing. You have not been mad enough to hide this fellow?” “Utterson, I swear to God,” cried the doctor, “I swear to God I will never set eyes on him again. I bind my honour to you that I am done with him in this world. It is all at an end. And indeed he does not want my help; you do not know him as I do; he is safe, he is quite safe; mark my words, he will never more be heard of.” The lawyer listened gloomily; he did not like his friend’s feverish manner. “You seem pretty sure of him,” said he; “and for your sake, I hope you may be right. If it came to a trial, your name might appear.” “I am quite sure of him,” replied Jekyll; “I have grounds for certainty that I cannot share with any one. But there is one thing on which you may...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Protective Deception
Good people become complicit in wrongdoing by choosing comfortable lies over hard truths to protect someone they care about.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to spot forged communications and question convenient evidence that appears at suspicious times.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when important documents arrive with perfect timing—ask who delivered them, when, and compare writing styles if something feels off.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Cabinet
A private office or study, usually in a wealthy person's home. In Victorian times, this was where important business was conducted away from servants and family. Jekyll's cabinet is his most private space.
Modern Usage:
Like someone's home office or den where they keep their personal papers and handle serious conversations.
Cheval-glass
A full-length mirror that tilts on a frame, allowing you to see your whole body. The name comes from French, meaning 'horse mirror.' It was a luxury item in Victorian homes.
Modern Usage:
Similar to those full-length mirrors people have in bedrooms or walk-in closets today.
Red baize
A thick, felt-like fabric usually in green or red, commonly used to cover doors for soundproofing. It was often used in gentlemen's clubs and private studies to muffle conversations.
Modern Usage:
Like the soundproofing people put in home studios or the way office buildings use materials to keep conversations private.
Handwriting analysis
The practice of examining someone's handwriting to determine who wrote something or to understand their character. In Victorian times, it was considered both a practical skill and a science.
Modern Usage:
Today we use fingerprints, DNA, and digital forensics, but handwriting analysis is still used in fraud investigations and court cases.
Complicity
Being involved in wrongdoing, even if you don't do the wrong thing yourself. It means knowing about something bad and choosing not to stop it or report it.
Modern Usage:
Like when you know your friend is cheating on their spouse but you don't say anything, or when coworkers cover for someone who's stealing.
Forgery
Creating fake documents or signatures to deceive people, usually for personal gain or to avoid consequences. In Victorian times, forgery was a serious crime that could result in imprisonment or transportation.
Modern Usage:
Still a major crime today, from fake IDs to forged checks to falsified medical records or legal documents.
Characters in This Chapter
Mr. Utterson
Loyal friend and moral compass
Visits Jekyll after the murder, trying to help his friend. Discovers the forged letter but chooses to protect Jekyll rather than expose the truth. Shows how good people can become complicit in wrongdoing.
Modern Equivalent:
The friend who finds out you're doing something illegal but loves you too much to turn you in
Dr. Jekyll
Desperate man in crisis
Appears terrified and ill, swears he's done with Hyde forever. Likely forges a letter from Hyde to make himself look like a victim rather than an accomplice. Shows how fear drives people to deception.
Modern Equivalent:
The person who gets caught up in something bad and starts lying to cover their tracks
Poole
Observant household staff
Jekyll's butler who reveals that no letter was actually delivered, which exposes Jekyll's deception. Represents how working-class people often see through their employers' lies.
Modern Equivalent:
The assistant or employee who notices when the boss is acting shady
Mr. Guest
Expert analyst
Utterson's clerk who specializes in handwriting analysis. Discovers that Jekyll and Hyde's handwriting are nearly identical, proving Jekyll forged the letter. Provides the technical expertise that reveals the truth.
Modern Equivalent:
The IT person or forensic expert who finds the digital evidence everyone was trying to hide
Key Quotes & Analysis
"I have buried one friend today and I cannot afford to lose another through any act of mine."
Context: When Utterson questions him about Hyde after the Carew murder
Jekyll is manipulating Utterson's loyalty and friendship to avoid scrutiny. He's using emotional blackmail to prevent his friend from digging deeper into his connection with Hyde.
In Today's Words:
Don't make me lose you too - I can't handle any more drama right now.
"No sir, nothing. Only once a circular came from a chemist's shop."
Context: When Utterson asks if any letters were delivered for Jekyll
This simple statement destroys Jekyll's story about receiving a letter from Hyde. It proves the letter came from inside the house, revealing Jekyll's deception.
In Today's Words:
Nope, no mail today except some junk from the pharmacy.
"There's a rather singular resemblance; the two hands are in many points identical; only differently sloped."
Context: After comparing Jekyll's handwriting with the supposed letter from Hyde
This is the smoking gun that proves Jekyll forged the letter. The expert analysis reveals what Utterson suspected but didn't want to believe about his friend.
In Today's Words:
These look like the same person wrote both - just tilted the pen differently.
Thematic Threads
Loyalty
In This Chapter
Utterson's loyalty to Jekyll overrides his moral duty, leading him to hide evidence rather than confront his friend
Development
Evolved from earlier protective instincts into active complicity
In Your Life:
You might find yourself making excuses for a friend's destructive behavior instead of having a difficult conversation.
Deception
In This Chapter
Jekyll forges Hyde's letter to manipulate the narrative and protect his reputation
Development
Escalated from hiding identity to actively creating false evidence
In Your Life:
You might catch yourself creating elaborate stories to avoid taking responsibility for your mistakes.
Class
In This Chapter
Utterson's concern for Jekyll's reputation as a gentleman influences his decision to suppress evidence
Development
Continues the theme of social status protecting the wealthy from consequences
In Your Life:
You might notice how people with higher status get away with things that would destroy someone with less social capital.
Fear
In This Chapter
Jekyll's terror drives him to desperate deception, while Utterson's fear of losing his friend enables it
Development
Fear has progressed from anxiety to panic, driving increasingly desperate actions
In Your Life:
You might realize that your biggest mistakes often come from decisions made in fear rather than wisdom.
Truth
In This Chapter
The handwriting analysis reveals the truth, but Utterson chooses to bury it rather than act on it
Development
Truth becomes something to be hidden rather than revealed
In Your Life:
You might find yourself avoiding conversations or situations where uncomfortable truths might surface.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What does Utterson discover about the letter supposedly written by Hyde, and how does he react to this discovery?
analysis • surface - 2
Why do you think Utterson chooses to lock away the evidence rather than confront Jekyll directly about the forged letter?
analysis • medium - 3
Where have you seen people cover up or make excuses for someone they care about, even when that person has done something wrong?
application • medium - 4
When is protecting someone actually enabling them to cause more harm? How can you tell the difference between loyalty and complicity?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter reveal about how crisis situations test our moral boundaries and the relationships we value most?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
The Loyalty Test
Think of a situation where someone you care about did something questionable or harmful. Write down three responses: what you actually did, what you wish you had done, and what you would do if faced with the same situation today. Then identify which response truly serves that person's best interests long-term.
Consider:
- •Consider whether your response protected the person or protected you from discomfort
- •Think about who else might be affected by staying silent or covering up
- •Reflect on whether enabling someone's bad behavior is actually a form of harm
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to choose between loyalty to someone and doing what you believed was right. What did you learn about yourself from that choice?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 6: When Friends Fall Apart
As the story unfolds, you'll explore secrets can poison even the strongest friendships, while uncovering isolation often makes problems worse, not better. These lessons connect the classic to contemporary challenges we all face.