Binary Opposition in Literature: Definition & Examples - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com (2024)

In this story, Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments with a potion that changes his appearance and personality from a kindly doctor to an ugly, brutish form (Mr. Hyde), who is rude and immoral. He appears to be completely independent of Jekyll, though he inhabits the same body; he has a different address, looks and sounds different and wears different clothes. Realizing the impact of Hyde on his life, Jekyll struggles with this 'other' self, but eventually commits suicide and is found in the form of Hyde, but wearing Jekyll's clothes.

Stevenson uses the character of Jekyll/Hyde to explore the binary opposites of good and evil, but more importantly, that gray area between good and evil. Jekyll represents the good in human nature, while Hyde represents the evil. Both, however, exist in one man's body and struggle against each other. The struggle between these binary opposites can be said to represent the struggle within each of us between good and evil, reminding us that however hard we might try, we cannot truly compartmentalize the two; most often human nature is neither exclusively good nor exclusively evil. We try to separate ourselves from the evil because we fear it, but the potential for it exists in human nature, even if not always active.

Lesson Summary

The term binary opposite refers to a system in which two things cannot exist at the same time (on/off, hot/cold, win/lose, etc.). The theory of binaries and binary opposition is often used in literature to explore the gray area between the two extremes and the consequences of placing things (or groups of people) in separate categories.

Often binary systems are created out of a sense of fear; one group fears another group because it is different and views that difference as a threat. This group that poses a perceived threat is referred to as the 'other' because it doesn't conform to what we perceive as normal. Binary opposition in literature illustrates for us the dangers of categorizing and labeling and reminds us that no one can be so easily categorized. We all share certain traits and we can, in fact, mutually exist.

Binary Opposition in Literature Key Terms & Examples

Binary Opposition

• Binary Opposite: two things that cannot exist at the same time
• The 'other': the perceived threat because it does not appear to be normal
• Harry Potter: pure blood wizards vs muggle born and half-blood wizards
• Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: binary opposites within one human and the grey areas of good vs evil

Learning Outcomes

After this lesson ends, students should be able to:

• Define binary opposites
• Illustrate natural binary opposites
• Detail examples of binary opposition in literature

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