"The night was far gone into the morning - the morning, black as it was, was nearly ripe for the conception of the day."
Juxtaposition of Time - This is a paradoxical expression, as the night is described as being both "gone" but still part of the morning. This blurring of time reflects the moral ambiguity of Jekyll’s life at this point, where the boundaries between his dual selves are becoming increasingly indistinct.
The transition from night to morning is symbolic of change. The morning is described as black, which is an unusual and ominous description of what should be a hopeful moment as light is usually associated with hope or clarity.
It evokes a sense of foreboding, implying the dawn of Jekyll’s redemption is still tainted by the shadows of his darker self.
The shift from night to morning symbolizes the constant battle between the darkness of Hyde and the light of Jekyll.
