Part II
We are going to skip ahead in the story now. After hearing the tale of Mr. Hyde, Mr. Utterson reviews the will he has drawn up for Dr. Jekyll. Utterson’s curiosity is aroused which leads him to frequent the neighborhood where Enfield saw the monstrous event of the trampling. After several days of watching, he finally sees a man who looks like he might be Hyde going into the building with one door and no windows.
Utterson asks the man if his name is Hyde. Without turning to face Utterson, Hyde says it is. Read on for a glimpse of Hyde and for some interesting word sightings, too.
As you read, click on the highlighted words.
Before you go on to the third part, take another minute to consider what you now know about the words in this part of the story and about the vocabulary strategies you can use to understand them. Use your notes to list the highlighted words. Then, write notes on what you remember about the words’ meanings (try to do this without looking back). When you are finished, check your understanding to see sample responses. apropos: meaning—at the proposal or regarding the topic
Soho: geographical reference to a neighborhood of London that used to be disreputable (now a center of London’s music scene)
grunted: has a negative connotation
snarled: has a negative (and threatening) connotation
disquietude: dis- = not; meaning—a state of not being quiet in mind or soul
perplexity: -plex- = folded; meaning—folded through a many cornered maze, not thinking clearly
malformation: meaning—bad formation
displeasing: meaning—not pleasing
FAQ
Q: How can I tell what a word’s connotations are when I’m using a thesaurus?
A: Both bark and growl are listed as synonyms of snarl in a thesaurus, but snarl is quite different from bark, especially if you are dealing with a strange dog. The connotation is important. In the case of these three words, most of us know the difference but with less familiar words, you can’t always tell. The way you are going to learn the difference is through reading. As far as using a thesaurus when you are writing, it is best to use it only to jog your memory about words you already know. It is through reading that you will develop a feeling for subtle differences in connotation.
Source: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, pmorgan67, Flickr
Part III
In this part of the story, Utterson decides to go talk to his friend Dr. Jekyll. He is concerned and worried that Hyde has some power over Jekell or that Jekyll is unaware of the danger of friendship with someone as disreputable as Hyde. Dr. Jekyll’s butler, Poole, informs Utterson that Jekyll is not at home, so he leaves without any relief from his anxieties.
As you read, click on the highlighted words.
Source: The “Brooding Soldier”, the Saint Julien War Memorial, Belgium, Calotype46, Flickr
Finally, take time to consider what you now know about the words from the last part of the story and about the vocabulary strategies you can use to understand them.
Use your notes to list the highlighted words. Then, write notes on what you remember about the words’ meanings (try to do this without looking back). When you are finished, check your understanding to see sample responses. misgives: mis- =fearful; meaning—gives with doubt or fear
statute of limitations: legal term—a law setting time limits on punishment (When the statute of limitations runs out, she can’t be prosecuted for that crime.)
cancer: medical term used metaphorically; meaning—something growing unobserved and uncontrolled
pede claudo: a Latin legal term for “on limping foot”; meaning—you’ll get punished eventually
brooded: has a negative connotation (You will brood about something that bothers you. If a girl broods about her social life, it probably isn’t going very well.)
groping: has a negative connotation; meaning—searching with uncertainty.
apprehension: from a Latin root that means “to take hold of, grasp”; meaning—fear that something bad will take hold of you or a fear of something bad or unpleasant
FAQ
Q: Sometimes it seems the meaning of a root is a long way from its meaning in an English word. Isn’t it a stretch to say that “apprehension” relates to the Latin root’s definition of “to take hold of, grasp”?
A: It is a stretch. You are right. It is, however, the kind of stretch that requires flexibility rather than the kind of stretch that is based on something made up. This word really does come from the Latin root prehendere. Traces of this heritage appear in the use of the word, and knowing its origin can help you remember the word and distinguish it from synonyms with different family trees. Noticing words (taking note mentally or actually taking notes) is an excellent way to improve your reading fluency and to strengthen your comprehension. Often enough, you won’t really need to look up words or think about their roots, affixes, or connotations to make sense of what you are reading. However, if you notice words, you will deepen your textual insight and extend your expertise in using tools for understanding words.
If you reread the passage from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde now, in addition to understanding it better, you might also be able to be more sensitive to the feeling of the language, the connotations of the words.
In these passages, we came across many prefixes, suffixes, and roots. We also found some words that have to be studied by looking them up. We encountered some words that carry positive and negative connotations and words that come from other languages. Words are powerful. The more you are interested in them, the more access you will have to their power.