1.) "'You told me you had destroyed it.' 'I was wrong, It has destroyed me'" (Wilde 161).
Dorian has gone over the edge, and it is all because of his portrait. Rather than serving as a moral guide to Dorian, it has had the adverse affect of driving him completely towards evil. Ever since it was made, Dorian has descended into a life of villainy and mischief. The more he indulged, the more his hunger consumed him, until the former innocent Dorian Gray was no more. Dorian has completely changed, so much so that his former self is gone. That former self is trapped inside the painting, and with each sin the new Dorian commits, the old Dorian suffers for. To me, that is what the painting seems to do: mock the old Dorian with the actions of the new one. These marks then drive him to continue his evil streak. The painting has driven Dorian to murder his friend, the same friend who painted the portrait in the first place, almost as if the painting has developed a mind of its own and wished to kill its creator like Frankenstein's monster: "An uncontrollable feeling of hatred for Basil Hallward came over him, as though it had been suggested to him by the image on the canvas, whispered into his ear by those grinning lips" (162). Dorian only felt this was when he saw the painting, and it seemed to come out of nowhere. Dorian no longer has a conscience. That conscience has been sealed away in the painting, and consequently tainted by evil. The painting has a mind of its own now, a mind that tortures and punishes Dorian soul while spurring him on, only so that it can keep inflicting pain onto his soul.
2.) "'What is it that one was taught to say in one's boyhood? 'Lead us not into temptation. Forgive us our sins. Wash away our iniquities.' Let us say that together. The prayer of your pride has been answered. The prayer of your repentance will be answered also. I worshiped you too much. I am punished for it. You worshiped yourself too much. We are both punished'" (162).
I don't think Dorian is even able to repent. He himself has no sins. It is his portrait that bears the sins for him. He committed them, but he does not need to repent for them. He is like the messenger. What he does has no effect on himself. He is only doing what he is told. Repentance and religion in this book is quite different from The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter. In The Crucible, the townspeople were not able to repent because they had no ritual to. In The Scarlet Letter, the we are presented with either privately or publicly bearing sins. With Dorian, he is all three combined. He publicly bears his sins in private, and cannot absolve himself of them. No one sees the portrait, but it showcases his sin visually. There is no way to rid the painting of those sins. They are forever stuck on the canvas, which is what Dorian meant when he responded that, "'It is too late'" (162) to Basil's plea. The sins have been committed, and there is nothing Dorian can do about them. In another sense, the portrait defies God. As basil says, "'Yes,' answered Hallward, gravely, and with deep-toned sorrow in his voice--'to see your soul. But only God can do that'" (156), only God can see one's soul. The portrait, however, can see the true state of Dorian's soul. Not only can it see it, but it displays it for all to see. This sounds like a slap in the face to God. Something man-made can do what before only the celestial could do. I feel like the only way for the sins to be removed from the painting is Dorian's death. that way, his soul is released, leaving the painting in its original state.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
PoDG Ch. 11
1.) "He grew more and more enamored of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul" (Wilde 131).
Throughout the novel thus far, we have grappled with the question as to what purpose Dorian's portrait will serve to him. Will it give him the freedom of doing whatever he likes with no negative side effects? Or will it instead serve as a moral guide, a conscience, leading Dorian down the right path? It seems as though, in this chapter, however, our question is answered with a third option. The portrait serves both purposes. It both spurs him on with his life of sin and it causes him to think critically about that life in the process. Dorian remarks at how the painting changes, and yet he stays the same: "He would examine with minute care, and sometimes with a monstrous and terrible delight, the hideous lines that seared the wrinkling forehead or crawled around the heavy, sensual mouth, wondering sometimes which were the more horrible, the signs of sin or the signs of age" (131). Dorian sees the marks that plague his portrait but do not plague him, and he delights in the fact. He sees it as his way of treasuring life, and continues what he is doing: the very things that cause the marks in the first place. In this case, it forms a vicious cycle that Dorian is caught him. He sees the wrinkles, which only cause him to cherish his own youth beauty, which in turn will allow him to continue causing the wrinkles on the painting. The picture also, however, served as a horrid reminder of his sin: "For these treasures, and everything that he collected in his lovely house, were to be to him means of forgetfulness, modes by which he could escape, for a season, from the fear that seemed to him at times to be almost too great to be borne" (142). The portrait not only allows Dorian to do whatever he wishes, but also reminds him of the consequences. Knowing the horrible aging the portrait was undergoing, fear crept upon Dorian, that his life was causing it. The portrait shows him that, and he fears for it. He sees that the consequences do not affect him, but at the same time, is worried about those consequences, and tries to occupy his time with other things to forget about them.
2.) "And, certainly, to him Life itself was the first, the greatest, of the arts, and for it all the other arts seemed to be but a preparation" (132).
This concept comes up a lot in this chapter--the concept that life itself is more important than anything else. Dorian seems to live by this. He lives as a hedonist, solely focusing on living life and the arts are nothing to compared the feeling that you are truly alive. The arts teach you how to live, which is what Dorian sees in them. The arts are like the dress rehearsal for life: by succeeding in each of them, you know you are ready to experience the final show in the best way you can. By knowing how to conduct and express yourself through acting, music, and literature, you can live a better and finer life. Dorian lives this, because, "no theory of life seemed to him to be of any importance compared with life itself" (136). Dorian sole focus is on living a full and rich life, no matter what way he chooses to live it. All of those things are just warm-ups compared to actually living one's life.
Throughout the novel thus far, we have grappled with the question as to what purpose Dorian's portrait will serve to him. Will it give him the freedom of doing whatever he likes with no negative side effects? Or will it instead serve as a moral guide, a conscience, leading Dorian down the right path? It seems as though, in this chapter, however, our question is answered with a third option. The portrait serves both purposes. It both spurs him on with his life of sin and it causes him to think critically about that life in the process. Dorian remarks at how the painting changes, and yet he stays the same: "He would examine with minute care, and sometimes with a monstrous and terrible delight, the hideous lines that seared the wrinkling forehead or crawled around the heavy, sensual mouth, wondering sometimes which were the more horrible, the signs of sin or the signs of age" (131). Dorian sees the marks that plague his portrait but do not plague him, and he delights in the fact. He sees it as his way of treasuring life, and continues what he is doing: the very things that cause the marks in the first place. In this case, it forms a vicious cycle that Dorian is caught him. He sees the wrinkles, which only cause him to cherish his own youth beauty, which in turn will allow him to continue causing the wrinkles on the painting. The picture also, however, served as a horrid reminder of his sin: "For these treasures, and everything that he collected in his lovely house, were to be to him means of forgetfulness, modes by which he could escape, for a season, from the fear that seemed to him at times to be almost too great to be borne" (142). The portrait not only allows Dorian to do whatever he wishes, but also reminds him of the consequences. Knowing the horrible aging the portrait was undergoing, fear crept upon Dorian, that his life was causing it. The portrait shows him that, and he fears for it. He sees that the consequences do not affect him, but at the same time, is worried about those consequences, and tries to occupy his time with other things to forget about them.
2.) "And, certainly, to him Life itself was the first, the greatest, of the arts, and for it all the other arts seemed to be but a preparation" (132).
This concept comes up a lot in this chapter--the concept that life itself is more important than anything else. Dorian seems to live by this. He lives as a hedonist, solely focusing on living life and the arts are nothing to compared the feeling that you are truly alive. The arts teach you how to live, which is what Dorian sees in them. The arts are like the dress rehearsal for life: by succeeding in each of them, you know you are ready to experience the final show in the best way you can. By knowing how to conduct and express yourself through acting, music, and literature, you can live a better and finer life. Dorian lives this, because, "no theory of life seemed to him to be of any importance compared with life itself" (136). Dorian sole focus is on living a full and rich life, no matter what way he chooses to live it. All of those things are just warm-ups compared to actually living one's life.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
PoDG Ch. 9-10
1) "'Don't talk about horrid subjects. If one doesn't talk about a thing, it has never happened. It is simply expression, as Harry says, that gives reality to things'" (Wilde 111).
Dorian is such an airhead! He is an absolute idiot. The woman he loved just died, and here he is wanting to talk to Basil about his recent paintings. How can you get over something like that so quickly? Dorian is far too capricious. Everything in life to him does not matter, at least nothing material. He only cares about the abstract and the beautiful. It does not matter to him that Sibyl died, only that her acting had been good for a while. Sibyl was the only thing keeping Dorian innocent, somewhat. Now that she is gone, Henry has consumed him. He always speaks of Henry and of Henry's ideas. Once more, Dorian is the puppet dangling from Henry's fingers, no matter how much he thinks otherwise. He quotes him constantly, and Henry's beliefs have become Dorian's. He is helpless to change anything, he is simply putty in Henry's hands. It is actually pretty frustrating to read, because Dorian is so oblivious to it all. He is being dominated by a foul man who only cares to lead him astray, and he thinks that man is God on earth. It is utterly frustrating.
2.) "Yet he could not help feeling infinite pity for the painter who had just made this strange confession to him, and wondered if he himself would ever be so dominated by the personality of a friend" (119).
Is Dorian really so dumb? He wonders what it would be like to be dominated so by the personality of a friend. Meanwhile, Henry dominates Dorian's entire life. Henry teaches Dorian what to say, what to do, what to think. He is looking down on Basil's behavior in a somewhat condescending manner, but at the same time, Dorian is the same way with Henry. Dorian is pitying Basil, who just poured explained his deepest secret to his greatest muse, a feat that was probably very difficult for Basil to say. Not only that, but Basil's admiration of Dorian was not even explained fully: "'It was a confession. Now that I have made it, something seems to have gone out of me. Perhaps one should never put one's worship into words'" (119). One should not put their worship into words because words can never fully describe the true feelings someone may have. They may describe them to a great extent, but words can never truly capture the essence of what one feels. So, Basil did all this for Dorian, and Dorian is simply sitting there, wondering about what it would be like to admire someone so and separating Basil's situation from his own. Dorian has no intelligence, only beauty. With intelligence, someone would be able t realize what was going on around him. All Dorian has is a beautiful face, but nothing going on behind it but vanity and narcissism.
Dorian is such an airhead! He is an absolute idiot. The woman he loved just died, and here he is wanting to talk to Basil about his recent paintings. How can you get over something like that so quickly? Dorian is far too capricious. Everything in life to him does not matter, at least nothing material. He only cares about the abstract and the beautiful. It does not matter to him that Sibyl died, only that her acting had been good for a while. Sibyl was the only thing keeping Dorian innocent, somewhat. Now that she is gone, Henry has consumed him. He always speaks of Henry and of Henry's ideas. Once more, Dorian is the puppet dangling from Henry's fingers, no matter how much he thinks otherwise. He quotes him constantly, and Henry's beliefs have become Dorian's. He is helpless to change anything, he is simply putty in Henry's hands. It is actually pretty frustrating to read, because Dorian is so oblivious to it all. He is being dominated by a foul man who only cares to lead him astray, and he thinks that man is God on earth. It is utterly frustrating.
2.) "Yet he could not help feeling infinite pity for the painter who had just made this strange confession to him, and wondered if he himself would ever be so dominated by the personality of a friend" (119).
Is Dorian really so dumb? He wonders what it would be like to be dominated so by the personality of a friend. Meanwhile, Henry dominates Dorian's entire life. Henry teaches Dorian what to say, what to do, what to think. He is looking down on Basil's behavior in a somewhat condescending manner, but at the same time, Dorian is the same way with Henry. Dorian is pitying Basil, who just poured explained his deepest secret to his greatest muse, a feat that was probably very difficult for Basil to say. Not only that, but Basil's admiration of Dorian was not even explained fully: "'It was a confession. Now that I have made it, something seems to have gone out of me. Perhaps one should never put one's worship into words'" (119). One should not put their worship into words because words can never fully describe the true feelings someone may have. They may describe them to a great extent, but words can never truly capture the essence of what one feels. So, Basil did all this for Dorian, and Dorian is simply sitting there, wondering about what it would be like to admire someone so and separating Basil's situation from his own. Dorian has no intelligence, only beauty. With intelligence, someone would be able t realize what was going on around him. All Dorian has is a beautiful face, but nothing going on behind it but vanity and narcissism.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
PoDG Ch. 7-8
1.) "'If this girl can give a soul to those who have lived without one, if she can create the sense of beauty in people whose lives have been sordid and ugly, if she can strip them of their selfishness and lend them tears for sorrows that are not their own, she is worthy of all your adoration, worthy of the adoration of the world. [...] The gods made Sibyl Vane for you'" (Wilde 86).
This is exactly what Sibyl does for Dorian, and she does it all through her own death. Ever since Dorian met Lord Henry, he has lived without a soul. Though he was beautiful, his life was an ugly one, until he met Sibyl. For once, Dorian was not selfish. He loved her and cared about her. He felt for the Shakespearean characters she played, and for all of her own troubles, though they were not his own. Dorian loved her. Dorian explains it perfectly himself: "'The mere touch of Sibyl Vane's hand makes me forget you and all your [...] theories'" (82). Sibyl made him a better person. He did not care for Henry's input any more, because Sibyl took Henry's place in Dorian's life. Before Dorian knew that Sibyl had died, and he still thought she was alive, he even took a stand against Henry: "'I know what you are going to say. Something dreadful about marriage. Don't say it, Don't ever say things of that kind to me again'" (101). Sibyl was Dorian's ticket out of Henry's vile grasp, hence why she was made by the gods for Dorian, as Basil put it. The gods gave Dorian beauty, but that beauty was meant to be for a certain time. Dorian, on the other hand, tried to outwit fate and traded his soul so that his portrait may age while he does not. That was going against the gods wishes. Only after Dorian makes the deal does he meet Sibyl, sent by the gods as a sort of repentance. If Dorian follows her, he will not be damned. When he forsakes her bad acting and leaves her, Dorian screwed up his chances. He took a gift from the gods and threw it in their face. Because of that, the gods took her life, as punishment. Sibyl was Dorian's one last chance at humanity, and, as Henry once said, "'what the gods give they quickly take away'" (24).
2.) "Eternal youth, infinite passion, pleasures subtle and secret, wild joys and wilder sins--he was to have all these things. The portrait was to bear the burden of his shame, that was all" (109).
So now we finally have it. The confirmation that the portrait ages while Dorian does not. Not only does the portrait age, however, it portrays the consequences of his sin. It serves as a reminder for his sins. No sin can go unpunished, and since Dorian must remain forever young and innocent, the picture must become his scapegoat. Dorian 's portrait works a lot like the down of a duck. A duck swims all day and gets wet all the time, but the water just slides off of its feathers. It's the same way with Dorian. Dorian commits the sins, but rather than affecting him, they slide off of his soul and mar the painting. In this respect, the portrait serves the function held in classic beliefs about mirrors. Many mythologies and legends state that mirrors are the gateway to the soul, that they reflect someone's true nature. This is the entire basis for the superstition that if you break a mirror, you have 7 years of bad luck--you are literally breaking your soul. In Dorian's Case, the portrait has become his soul. He no longer has one, but his portrait does. In order so that he may have the life he wanted, he gave his portrait his own life to age and deteriorate for him. I feel however, that this will rob Dorian of any feeling. If he doesn't have his soul, that he cannot feel his actions in the moral sense, only in the physical. He will indulge in pleasure, but in doing so, he will lost sight of what he is doing. Hunger will replace conscience, and appetite will replace reason. With his soul locked in the painting, he will be lost to desire.
This is exactly what Sibyl does for Dorian, and she does it all through her own death. Ever since Dorian met Lord Henry, he has lived without a soul. Though he was beautiful, his life was an ugly one, until he met Sibyl. For once, Dorian was not selfish. He loved her and cared about her. He felt for the Shakespearean characters she played, and for all of her own troubles, though they were not his own. Dorian loved her. Dorian explains it perfectly himself: "'The mere touch of Sibyl Vane's hand makes me forget you and all your [...] theories'" (82). Sibyl made him a better person. He did not care for Henry's input any more, because Sibyl took Henry's place in Dorian's life. Before Dorian knew that Sibyl had died, and he still thought she was alive, he even took a stand against Henry: "'I know what you are going to say. Something dreadful about marriage. Don't say it, Don't ever say things of that kind to me again'" (101). Sibyl was Dorian's ticket out of Henry's vile grasp, hence why she was made by the gods for Dorian, as Basil put it. The gods gave Dorian beauty, but that beauty was meant to be for a certain time. Dorian, on the other hand, tried to outwit fate and traded his soul so that his portrait may age while he does not. That was going against the gods wishes. Only after Dorian makes the deal does he meet Sibyl, sent by the gods as a sort of repentance. If Dorian follows her, he will not be damned. When he forsakes her bad acting and leaves her, Dorian screwed up his chances. He took a gift from the gods and threw it in their face. Because of that, the gods took her life, as punishment. Sibyl was Dorian's one last chance at humanity, and, as Henry once said, "'what the gods give they quickly take away'" (24).
2.) "Eternal youth, infinite passion, pleasures subtle and secret, wild joys and wilder sins--he was to have all these things. The portrait was to bear the burden of his shame, that was all" (109).
So now we finally have it. The confirmation that the portrait ages while Dorian does not. Not only does the portrait age, however, it portrays the consequences of his sin. It serves as a reminder for his sins. No sin can go unpunished, and since Dorian must remain forever young and innocent, the picture must become his scapegoat. Dorian 's portrait works a lot like the down of a duck. A duck swims all day and gets wet all the time, but the water just slides off of its feathers. It's the same way with Dorian. Dorian commits the sins, but rather than affecting him, they slide off of his soul and mar the painting. In this respect, the portrait serves the function held in classic beliefs about mirrors. Many mythologies and legends state that mirrors are the gateway to the soul, that they reflect someone's true nature. This is the entire basis for the superstition that if you break a mirror, you have 7 years of bad luck--you are literally breaking your soul. In Dorian's Case, the portrait has become his soul. He no longer has one, but his portrait does. In order so that he may have the life he wanted, he gave his portrait his own life to age and deteriorate for him. I feel however, that this will rob Dorian of any feeling. If he doesn't have his soul, that he cannot feel his actions in the moral sense, only in the physical. He will indulge in pleasure, but in doing so, he will lost sight of what he is doing. Hunger will replace conscience, and appetite will replace reason. With his soul locked in the painting, he will be lost to desire.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
PoDG Ch. 5-6
1.) "He was like a common gardener walking with a rose" (Wilde 69).
For a brother and sister, Jim and Sibyl are incredibly different. They're like the two opposite ends of a magnet--they're cut from the same cloth, but are totally different characters. Sibyl is more whimsical and capricious. She thinks everything should be a fairytale, and that everything will end up like the ending to a storybook. Jim, on the other hand, is grouchy and very protective of his older sister. He automatically thinks that any man who is with his sister is out to wrong her, and he wants to kill her. Perhaps this was because he was the only man in the family for sixteen years. Because there was no one around to be, he, despite his young age, had to step up. He is like Dorian in that respect. Both have ascended into a adulthood at a young age, but whether that adulthood is worthy or not remains to be seen. Still, Sibyl and Jim are complete opposites. They are Pessimism and Optimism in human form. Sibyl walks without a care in the world, yet Jim is constantly self-conscious of the glances of others. They could even be likened to beauty and genius. Beauty is exemplified in Sibyl, and its counterpart, Genius, is depicted in Jim. Beauty's capricious lifestyle is linked with genius's intellectual mannerisms, somehow, as is exemplified in this pair of siblings. Perhaps that is why Dorian falls for Sibyl. She is the representation of beauty and all that comes with it, and Dorian wishes for nothing more but eternal beauty.
2.) "'Her trusts make me faithful, her belief makes me good. When I am with her, I regret all that you have taught me. I become different from what you have known me to be. I am changed, and the mere touch of Sibyl Vane's hand makes me forget you and all your wrong, fascinating, poisonous, delightful theories'" (82).
This could pose a potential threat for Henry. Here we discover that Sibyl is the angel on Dorian's shoulder. She makes him want to do good, and to be good, and makes him happier than Henry's influence at times. Hence, because Dorian is so infatuated and affected by Sibyl, he forgets the theories and ideologies that Henry instills in him. If he does that, that Henry's entire experiment goes down the drain. Henry will have his guinea pig, but nothing to test it on. His guinea pig will be impervious to his concoctions. With Sibyl in the picture, Henry will not be able to conduct his experiment the way he wants to. His data will be forever compromised if Dorian marries Sibyl. He will never be able to influence Dorian so much if he is married. I believe this is why he tries to talk Dorian out of the marriage, at least that's what it sounds like he tries to do, after hearing what influence Sibyl now has over Dorian. Before, his intentions were not any better: "'I hope that Dorian Gray will make this girl his wife, passionately adore her for six months, and then suddenly become fascinated by some one else'" (79). Still, he wants Sibyl out of the picture, whether it is to further enhance his experiment or to prevent it from failure.
For a brother and sister, Jim and Sibyl are incredibly different. They're like the two opposite ends of a magnet--they're cut from the same cloth, but are totally different characters. Sibyl is more whimsical and capricious. She thinks everything should be a fairytale, and that everything will end up like the ending to a storybook. Jim, on the other hand, is grouchy and very protective of his older sister. He automatically thinks that any man who is with his sister is out to wrong her, and he wants to kill her. Perhaps this was because he was the only man in the family for sixteen years. Because there was no one around to be, he, despite his young age, had to step up. He is like Dorian in that respect. Both have ascended into a adulthood at a young age, but whether that adulthood is worthy or not remains to be seen. Still, Sibyl and Jim are complete opposites. They are Pessimism and Optimism in human form. Sibyl walks without a care in the world, yet Jim is constantly self-conscious of the glances of others. They could even be likened to beauty and genius. Beauty is exemplified in Sibyl, and its counterpart, Genius, is depicted in Jim. Beauty's capricious lifestyle is linked with genius's intellectual mannerisms, somehow, as is exemplified in this pair of siblings. Perhaps that is why Dorian falls for Sibyl. She is the representation of beauty and all that comes with it, and Dorian wishes for nothing more but eternal beauty.
2.) "'Her trusts make me faithful, her belief makes me good. When I am with her, I regret all that you have taught me. I become different from what you have known me to be. I am changed, and the mere touch of Sibyl Vane's hand makes me forget you and all your wrong, fascinating, poisonous, delightful theories'" (82).
This could pose a potential threat for Henry. Here we discover that Sibyl is the angel on Dorian's shoulder. She makes him want to do good, and to be good, and makes him happier than Henry's influence at times. Hence, because Dorian is so infatuated and affected by Sibyl, he forgets the theories and ideologies that Henry instills in him. If he does that, that Henry's entire experiment goes down the drain. Henry will have his guinea pig, but nothing to test it on. His guinea pig will be impervious to his concoctions. With Sibyl in the picture, Henry will not be able to conduct his experiment the way he wants to. His data will be forever compromised if Dorian marries Sibyl. He will never be able to influence Dorian so much if he is married. I believe this is why he tries to talk Dorian out of the marriage, at least that's what it sounds like he tries to do, after hearing what influence Sibyl now has over Dorian. Before, his intentions were not any better: "'I hope that Dorian Gray will make this girl his wife, passionately adore her for six months, and then suddenly become fascinated by some one else'" (79). Still, he wants Sibyl out of the picture, whether it is to further enhance his experiment or to prevent it from failure.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
PoDG Ch. 4
1.) "'There is always something infinitely mean about other people's tragedies'" (Wilde 58).
I simply cannot fathom Henry. Not only do I find him to be a careless pompous ass, but he contradicts himself at every turn. Sure, he is only arguing the opposite of what he argues because no one but Basil can argue back, but it just does not seem right. Here, he talks about the mean things in others' tragedies, but in the last chapter he contradicted himself: "It posed the lad, made him more perfect as it were. Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic" (39). Here, Henry wanted to learn about Dorian's past and tragedies, yet twenty pages later, he tells Dorian that it was a good thing he did not ask to learn more about the tragedies of Sibyl Vane. The contradictions continue, as Henry says, "'You always come dreadfully late'" (58). Here, Henry comments on Dorian always arriving late to their arrangements, but earlier on in the same chapter, Dorian himself stated that Henry is always late: "He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time" (48). Why is Henry commenting on Dorian's faults when he himself exhibits the exact same ones? Perhaps, however, there is a deeper motive than the hypocrisy we see at first glance. Henry loves experimenting on Dorian, and morphing Dorian into a replica of himself. Henry himself comments on the nature of experimentation on others: "It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others, we were really experimenting on ourselves" (63). Possibly, then, by experimenting on Dorian, what Henry is really doing is tampering with how to make a new version of himself. Perhaps he is trying to rectify the faults he sees in himself in Dorian, to see what he could possibly be like if he did not have them.
2.) Human life--that appeared to him the one thing worth investigating. [...] And yet what a great reward one received! [...] To note the curious hard logic of passion, and the emotional colored life of the intellect [...] What matter what the cost was? One could never pay too high a price for any sensation" (61).
This grapples with the entire concept of the novel: Is the entire world worth one's soul? If it were possible to give up our soul and receive the entire world in return, would we do it? It is a very intriguing question. There are things we tell ourselves we would do anything for--a car, getting into a good college, the requited love of that special someone. Those are just some of things we wish for so vehemently, but would we be willing to give up our soul for it? Our soul is the very thing that makes us human. It gives us life, and it makes us who we are. So, the question is, should we give up who we are in order to obtain what we desire most? So far, Dorian has accepted this. He would readily give up his soul to remain eternally beautiful. It is what he wants more than anything. We see Henry's influence again, as in the quote on page 61, Henry himself says there is no cost too high for any sensation. Both of them feel this way, and I believe this will ultimately be their demise. To sell your soul is to give up yourself. What good is something if, when you receive it, you aren't the same person as when you wished for it? It is a cursed life. Selling your soul is much like Proctor's obsession with his name. A soul is the same way. You can only have one soul. Once it is lost, it is lost forever. You can not get it back. How do we know we even want the world? It may not be what we expect. The car could break down within its first few miles and never start again. You may get into a good college, but fail out or lose interest. That one person may love you back, but could turn on you in a minute. We are unsure of the outcome, just like Dorian and Henry. There certainly is a limit on the price of the world, because a soul, like a name, is the one thing that is truly our own. If we sell it, we would have really nothing left.
I simply cannot fathom Henry. Not only do I find him to be a careless pompous ass, but he contradicts himself at every turn. Sure, he is only arguing the opposite of what he argues because no one but Basil can argue back, but it just does not seem right. Here, he talks about the mean things in others' tragedies, but in the last chapter he contradicted himself: "It posed the lad, made him more perfect as it were. Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic" (39). Here, Henry wanted to learn about Dorian's past and tragedies, yet twenty pages later, he tells Dorian that it was a good thing he did not ask to learn more about the tragedies of Sibyl Vane. The contradictions continue, as Henry says, "'You always come dreadfully late'" (58). Here, Henry comments on Dorian always arriving late to their arrangements, but earlier on in the same chapter, Dorian himself stated that Henry is always late: "He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time" (48). Why is Henry commenting on Dorian's faults when he himself exhibits the exact same ones? Perhaps, however, there is a deeper motive than the hypocrisy we see at first glance. Henry loves experimenting on Dorian, and morphing Dorian into a replica of himself. Henry himself comments on the nature of experimentation on others: "It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others, we were really experimenting on ourselves" (63). Possibly, then, by experimenting on Dorian, what Henry is really doing is tampering with how to make a new version of himself. Perhaps he is trying to rectify the faults he sees in himself in Dorian, to see what he could possibly be like if he did not have them.
2.) Human life--that appeared to him the one thing worth investigating. [...] And yet what a great reward one received! [...] To note the curious hard logic of passion, and the emotional colored life of the intellect [...] What matter what the cost was? One could never pay too high a price for any sensation" (61).
This grapples with the entire concept of the novel: Is the entire world worth one's soul? If it were possible to give up our soul and receive the entire world in return, would we do it? It is a very intriguing question. There are things we tell ourselves we would do anything for--a car, getting into a good college, the requited love of that special someone. Those are just some of things we wish for so vehemently, but would we be willing to give up our soul for it? Our soul is the very thing that makes us human. It gives us life, and it makes us who we are. So, the question is, should we give up who we are in order to obtain what we desire most? So far, Dorian has accepted this. He would readily give up his soul to remain eternally beautiful. It is what he wants more than anything. We see Henry's influence again, as in the quote on page 61, Henry himself says there is no cost too high for any sensation. Both of them feel this way, and I believe this will ultimately be their demise. To sell your soul is to give up yourself. What good is something if, when you receive it, you aren't the same person as when you wished for it? It is a cursed life. Selling your soul is much like Proctor's obsession with his name. A soul is the same way. You can only have one soul. Once it is lost, it is lost forever. You can not get it back. How do we know we even want the world? It may not be what we expect. The car could break down within its first few miles and never start again. You may get into a good college, but fail out or lose interest. That one person may love you back, but could turn on you in a minute. We are unsure of the outcome, just like Dorian and Henry. There certainly is a limit on the price of the world, because a soul, like a name, is the one thing that is truly our own. If we sell it, we would have really nothing left.
Monday, March 8, 2010
PoDG Ch. 3
1.) "Yes, he would try to be to Dorian Gray what, without knowing it, the lad was to the painter who had fashioned the wonderful portrait. He would seek to dominate him [...] He would make that wonderful spirit his own" (Wilde 40).
Lord Henry has an obsession with Dorian. Not a romantic obsession, exactly, but more like a child's obsession with a brand new toy. Henry, on his own, is very imposing. He establishes his own point of view as though it were law, and even argues for other stances for the sake of arguing. Dorian is the perfect person for him, then. Dorian is young, naive, and easily impressionable. He believes everything Henry says without question, which may explain why Henry argues his counterarguments: there is no one who argues against him. Even Basil merely says Henry does not believe what he says, not that Basil does not believe them. Lord Henry is very influential, and once he sees Dorian, he sees a new plaything in the making. It is a new chance for him to mold another in his vision, to influence someone who is easily influenced and who has never been influenced before, to our knowledge. Henry is making his own mini-me of his own design, an act he enjoys: "To hear one's own intellectual views echoed back to one with all the added music of passion and youth [...] there was a real joy in that" (39). Dorian is not the only character who is vain. Henry enjoys hearing someone else mimic his beliefs, because it tickles his ego. He was the one who taught someone so perfect how to behave a certain way. For Henry, this is all an act of pride.
2.) "'To get back one's youth one has merely to repeat one's follies.'" (44).
I think this will have a great influence on Dorian, like everything else Henry has said. Dorian is sitting only a few feet from Henry, and hears everything he says, so obviously this particular line would stick with him. Dorian is obsessed with remaining young. He dreads getting older and would give anything to not have to. Now Dorian hears Henry say that the secret to getting back one's youth is to repeat one's follies. Hence, I think Dorian will start to commit and recommit mistake, simply so that he will remain young. Henry goes on to say: "the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes" (44). It is a very devil-may-care type of attitude, which Dorian will most likely adopt. He eagerly wants to be like Henry, and contrariwise, Henry eagerly wants Dorian to be like him. If Dorian is constantly and purposefully committing these mistakes, however, the end result cannot be good. Is there not some moral or emotional backlash for willfully doing wrong? Dorian at this point probably does not know any difference between right and wrong, simply what Henry tells him. I believe that, since Henry has said this, Dorian will begin a streak of mistakes he will ultimately regret, all in the name of immortality.
Lord Henry has an obsession with Dorian. Not a romantic obsession, exactly, but more like a child's obsession with a brand new toy. Henry, on his own, is very imposing. He establishes his own point of view as though it were law, and even argues for other stances for the sake of arguing. Dorian is the perfect person for him, then. Dorian is young, naive, and easily impressionable. He believes everything Henry says without question, which may explain why Henry argues his counterarguments: there is no one who argues against him. Even Basil merely says Henry does not believe what he says, not that Basil does not believe them. Lord Henry is very influential, and once he sees Dorian, he sees a new plaything in the making. It is a new chance for him to mold another in his vision, to influence someone who is easily influenced and who has never been influenced before, to our knowledge. Henry is making his own mini-me of his own design, an act he enjoys: "To hear one's own intellectual views echoed back to one with all the added music of passion and youth [...] there was a real joy in that" (39). Dorian is not the only character who is vain. Henry enjoys hearing someone else mimic his beliefs, because it tickles his ego. He was the one who taught someone so perfect how to behave a certain way. For Henry, this is all an act of pride.
2.) "'To get back one's youth one has merely to repeat one's follies.'" (44).
I think this will have a great influence on Dorian, like everything else Henry has said. Dorian is sitting only a few feet from Henry, and hears everything he says, so obviously this particular line would stick with him. Dorian is obsessed with remaining young. He dreads getting older and would give anything to not have to. Now Dorian hears Henry say that the secret to getting back one's youth is to repeat one's follies. Hence, I think Dorian will start to commit and recommit mistake, simply so that he will remain young. Henry goes on to say: "the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes" (44). It is a very devil-may-care type of attitude, which Dorian will most likely adopt. He eagerly wants to be like Henry, and contrariwise, Henry eagerly wants Dorian to be like him. If Dorian is constantly and purposefully committing these mistakes, however, the end result cannot be good. Is there not some moral or emotional backlash for willfully doing wrong? Dorian at this point probably does not know any difference between right and wrong, simply what Henry tells him. I believe that, since Henry has said this, Dorian will begin a streak of mistakes he will ultimately regret, all in the name of immortality.
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