A literary element I found in the story was exposition. At the beginning of the book Mr. Utterson is told the story of the door and how Mr. Hyde was first recognized.
"I was coming back home from some place at the end of the world, about three o'clock of a black winter morning, and my way lay through a part of town where there was literally nothing to be seen but lamps.... All at once, I saw two figures: one a little man...and the other a girl.... Well, sir, the two ran into one another...." p. 2
Mr. Enfield is letting Mr. Utterson know of the strange encounter of Mr. Hyde and a small child. The purpose of the exposition is to tell of how Mr. Hyde first encountered anyone in the city. From that moment on he was seen as a rude and awkward person. No one really knows much about him and he isn't seen much. This is also where Mr. Hyde is first met by the reader and the impression he makes on the reader. To me Mr. Hyde seems to be misunderstood but he doesn't really seem to care what people think of him.
I love how you explained the importance of the literary element to the story. You are so right! The exposition helps establish Hyde's dark character.
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