Storyboarding is an excellent way to focus on types of literary conflict. Have your students choose an example of each literary conflict and depict them using the Storyboard Creator.
In the storyboard, an example of each conflict should be visually represented, along with an explanation of the scene, and how it fits the particular category of conflict.
Dr. Jekyll is scared by the fact that Hyde appeared over the course of the night, without the need for the potion. He feels he needs to choose, and so he repressed Hyde. When he finally gives in and awakens him again, Hyde has become an uncontrollable monster. He is so angry at being held down for so long that he murders Sir Carew for being pleasant. Jekyll is horrified by Hyde, and indeed, sees him as a separate entity from himself.
Henry Jekyll was born into good fortune, was good and well-respected, and had a guarantee of an honorable and distinguished future. However, it was not enough for him. He craves "irregularities" that give him a "morbid sense of shame." He seeks to find a way to experience both of these sides of his identity without harming his reputation, which leads him to unethical experiments that bring about Hyde.
Dr. Jekyll’s unethical experiments led him to a severing of his relationship with Dr. Lanyon many years before, because Lanyon does not approve. Jekyll’s dangerous road of unethical experimentation put him at odds with the entire scientific community. These experiments, once he changes into Hyde, also put him at odds with his friends, who must never know that he is going against the bounds of Victorian propriety and reputation in order to fulfill his needs for wickedness.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in Jekyll and Hyde.
Debates help students analyze and defend their interpretations of conflict. Assign students different conflict types and have them use evidence from the text to support their points. This encourages deeper thinking and respectful discussion.
Let students choose a conflict (e.g., Man vs. Self) and gather supporting examples from the book. This fosters ownership and improves research skills.
Have students prepare reasons why their conflict is most significant, using quotes and scenes. This builds analytical and persuasive writing abilities.
Create a respectful environment where students present arguments and respond to peers. This enhances speaking and listening skills while deepening understanding of the text.
Lead a discussion where students reflect on the debate and evaluate which conflict most shaped the plot and characters. This reinforces comprehension and critical thinking.
The main types of literary conflict in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are man vs. man (Jekyll vs. Hyde), man vs. self (Jekyll’s internal struggle), and man vs. society (Jekyll’s conflict with Victorian norms). These conflicts drive the story’s plot and character development.
Use storyboarding to help students visually represent each type of conflict in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Have students choose scenes that show character vs. character, character vs. self, and character vs. society, then illustrate and explain each example.
An example of man vs. self is Dr. Jekyll’s struggle with his dual nature. He wants to maintain his good reputation but also craves the freedom to act on darker impulses, leading to his transformation into Hyde.
Literary conflict helps students understand character motivations and the story’s themes. In Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, conflicts reveal the dangers of repressing desires and the impact of societal expectations, making it a rich text for analysis.
The best way is to give students a framework of conflict types and ask them to find and discuss specific scenes from the novel. Using visual tools like storyboards can make the process engaging and support deeper comprehension.