Although The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a fictional story, so many people can relate to a tumultuous relationship between a father and son, or parent and child.
The relationship between Jekyll and Hyde can be summed up as, “Jekyll had more than Father’s interest; Hyde had more than a son’s indifference.” (59) This passage comes from Henry Jekyll’s Statement of the Case, which outlines the story of how Hyde came to life. Jekyll and Hyde are technically the same person and share the same space in the universe and their existence but exist in different physical forms and identities. Each character looks at the other in similar ways as a father to a son.
This quote can be looked at both literally and hypothetically. Dr. Jekyll spawned Hyde, much like a father spawns a son. The words interest and indifferent speak both to the characters of Jekyll and Hyde respectively. Jekyll can be identified as a man of quality character and develops interest into creating a life form that allows him to play out his negative urges. Though Hyde never narrates the story for himself and says very little throughout the story, the reader can pick up on a feeling of indifference towards his negative behaviors since he is able to make his violent choices while relying on the return to Jekyll’s appearance which acts as a safe haven; this is until Jekyll is no longer able to sustain his own identity.
The theme of identity plays an important role throughout literature, love, and life.