Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde book club questions

The reading plan

Meeting 1: Parts 1 to 5

1. How much should a cruel stranger's connection to a respected man change our opinion of that man?
2. Does Mr. Utterson's investigation seem more like loyalty or suspicion?
3. What might Mr. Hyde's authority in Henry Jekyll's household suggest about their relationship?
4. When Henry Jekyll offers reassurance without explanation, what would make trusting him reasonable?
5. Is it fair for Henry Jekyll to ask Mr. Utterson for a difficult promise while withholding an explanation?

Meeting 2: Parts 6 to 8

6. Should Mr. Utterson respect the restriction on the sealed account, or does uncertainty justify reading it?
7. How does Dr. Lanyon's death with a secret change the weight you give secrecy in the story?
8. What would you want the two friends to do after their frightening encounter with Henry Jekyll?
9. What would justify forcing open the locked room, and what would make that choice troubling?
10. Does finding Mr. Hyde's body bring more clarity or more uncertainty?

Meeting 3: Parts 9 to 10

11. What makes a witnessed transformation more challenging to Dr. Lanyon's beliefs than a mysterious request alone?
12. How does learning what Dr. Lanyon witnessed change your view of his earlier secrecy?
13. How far can scientific ambition explain Henry Jekyll's choices without excusing them?
14. Does losing control of the transformations reduce Henry Jekyll's responsibility, or make his earlier choices more troubling?
15. What reasons do you have to trust or question Henry Jekyll's account of his divided life?

Themes to talk about

Tips for the host

1. Open each meeting with one question everyone can answer, then go deeper.
2. Anyone who fell behind can catch up with the 15-minute summary.