Last week no one repeated anyone else's quote. That's really great; it makes for much more interesting reading. Thank you.
This week again write a quote from The Picture of Dorian Gray and explain why that is important in the book. How does it reveal character or theme. Or, write down one of the aphorisms and explain how it works. What common idea does it twist or turn on its head?
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Savannah Guillen
ReplyDelete“It is only shallow people who require years to get rid of an emotion. A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them” (79).
This is what Dorian says to Basil when Basil attempts to comfort Dorian about Sibyl Vane’s death. This quote is important because it shows just how powerful Lord Henry’s influence over Dorian is. Instead of acting distraught about Sibyl’s death, Dorian claims that he wants to “dominate his emotions,” which is exactly like something that Lord Henry would say. Lord Henry has corrupted Dorian to be unfeeling and amoral, and Basil is shocked when he hears an echo of Lord Henry’s poisonous ideas coming from Dorian, who used to be so pure and innocent. This is an important point in the book because it shows that Dorian has chosen to live a life of evil, and his mind is progressively filled with more and more dark thoughts as his life continues. However, the evilness of his sins is displayed not on his flawless face, but instead on his portrait, which means that no one can see how evil his soul has become. If Dorian had become closer to Basil instead of Lord Henry, he would have been able to lead a good, honest life.
Derek Decker
ReplyDelete"[They] did not realize that we live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities..." - Oscar Wilde (pg. 68)
This aphorism shows how people feel that something that's ultimately unnecessary is something that they absolutely need. What's most interesting about this quote, though, is that Oscar Wilde was way ahead of his time. With the advent of mass media, people are more exposed than ever to advertising, and thus people are more likely to feel a need to have something that they should probably merely want to have. A tragic example of this was at a Wal-Mart last year where people got trampled simply because people wanted to be the first to get stuff at low prices.
Bridget Cook
ReplyDelete"I am afraid that women appreciate cruelty, downright cruelty, more than anything else. They have wonderfully primitive instincts...They love being dominated." (pg. 75)
I thought this was the most shocking statement that Lord Henry has said so far in the book. His attitute towards women is very disrespectful and he doesn't seem to care. Throughout the book, Lord Henry bashes on women constantly, but this quote really stuck a cord and revealed his true feelings toward the female gender. I am shocked that someone would actually believe that women "liked" being treated with cruelty.
Breanna Taylor
ReplyDelete"I don't think I am heartless. Do you?"
"You have done too many foolish things in the last fornight to be entitles to give yourself that name, Dorian."
I thought this quote was really important because the book is the story of Dorian changing and almost becoming lord Henry in a way. To me its like Lord Henry is saying "The fact that you felt a little bad is stupid, but it proves your not heartless so hes saing its stupid to feel remorse for stuff like that, and perhaps by the end of the book Dorian will be completely heartless, if not dead.
Jenny Hergert
ReplyDelete"Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think not. It is merely a method by which we can multiply our personalities." -Pg 104
In this quote from Dorian Gray we can see how poisonous Lord Henry's influence has become. Dorian only believes in the value of material items, he doesn't care about how people feel or what kind of after effect his actions might have. He doesn't care because his soul is hidden away in the painting, and he will never have to suffer the real life consequences of his lifestyle. This is why he believes in insincerity as a means to "multiply our personalities," he simply doesn't care what other people see in him, as long as what he's doing is amusing to him.
Kiera Wesley
ReplyDelete"Dorian Gray had been poisoned by a book. There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful." (pg. 107)
I think this quote truly shows how Dorian's perspective on the world has been severly influenced by Lord Henry and the yellow book. His fascination with evil that grows from his obsession with this book leads him down a terrible path to over-indulgence. Dorian allows the book to take control of him and takes it very seriously. Like the character mentioned in the yellow book, he becomes fully enveloped by his need to fulfill his own desires.
"Each of us has Heaven and Hell in him, Basil,"
ReplyDeletecried Dorian Gray (pg 115)
In this quote is talking about how everyone is a saint and sinners but all of us in a different way.I believe that everyone has something that people like and have a quality that others don't.
Lexy Kaftan
ReplyDelete"I want the Dorian Gray I used to paint." said basil. Basil recognizes the fact that dorian has been influenced by lord henry negatively and that Dorian now has no guilt or conscience for the bad things he does. Basil in this case could be God telling his child to stop sinning and become good again.
Garrett Johnson
ReplyDelete"Though your sins be as scarlet, yet I will make them as white as snow?" (115)
When Dorian takes Basil up into the attic where he has hid his painting, Basil is astonished to see what has become of his portrait. He thinks Dorian is merely playing a part and teasing that something has happened to the painting until he shows him what has happened to it. This is the turning point where all sense of what is good and what is evil leaves Dorian. A wave of hatred comes over him towards Basil, and he proceeds to stab him to death. In the quotation above Basil is telling Dorian that he wants to help him and that hopefully his sins can be forgiven, but before they even left the attic Dorian went on to commit his greatest sin yet; murdering his close friend.
Anna Billmaier
ReplyDeletePeriod 3
"Society, civilized society at least, is never very ready to believe anything to the detriment of those who are both rich and fascinating. It feels instinctively that manners are of more importance than morals, and, in its opinion, the highest respectability is of much less value than the possession of a good chef" (pg 79).
This quote is interesting to me because it is Oscar Wilde speaking his views on how society accepts people not for their personality, but for their handsomeness and beauty. He steps out of the narration character and the characters of the book and explains why people accecpt Dorian into society despite his shallowness simply because of his beauty. The second part of this quote, Oscar suggests that it is merely the way you act and the way you portray yourself rather than the morals you carry. This is shown in the character of Lord Henry throughout the book because although his morals are opposite of many, he plays them off in a way that makes it enjoyable to listen to him, which counteracts his amoral views.
Sarah Hale:)
ReplyDelete“What was that loathsome red dew that gleamed, wet and glistening, on one of the hands, as though the canvas has sweated blood? How horrible it was!-more horrible, it seemed to him for the moment, than the silent thing that he knew was stretched across the table…” pg. 127
As Alan Campbell, a great chemist and old friend of Dorian, brings his equipment into the secluded room where Dorian had murdered and left Basil Hallward to destroy the dead body, Dorian’s eye is caught by the cursed self-portrait. A torn curtain was lying on the floor in front of the portrait, revealing the now horrifying and hideously sin filled Dorian Gray. Dorian shudders at the sight the picture, because he now notices the new addition to the self-portrait: a bloody hand, the hand of a murderer, his worst sin of all. This quote adds to the overall synopsis of the book being a Gothic horror novel, as we see Dorian’s life fill with more sin and more corruption of his soul by his evolving self-portrait. This murder is the greatest example so far of a once beautiful, pure Dorian Gray sinking into a life of crime and eternal misery.
Leslee Fall
ReplyDelete"One has the right to judge of a man by the effect he has over his friends. Yours seem to lose all sense of honour, of goodness, of purity. You have filled them with a madness for pleasure. They have gone down into the depths. You led them there." (pg.110)
This quote is important becasue it reveals the type of man Dorian has become and how he affects the other people in his life. It was said when Basil was trying to tell Dorian that his reputation was not good. The people Dorian becomes friends with tend to lose themselves and terrible things happen to them after meeting Dorian. He is like a poison in people's lives, just like Henry is a poison in Dorian's life.
Christine Nafziger
ReplyDelete“For the wonderful beauty that had so fascinated Basil Hallward, and many others besides him, seemed never to leave him. Even those who had heard the most evil things about him, and from time to time strange rumors about his mode of life crept through London and became the chatter of the clubs, could not believe anything to dishonor when they saw him.” (pg. 93)
People are starting to question Dorian and how he looks. Since, Dorian got his wish of staying young and his portrait aging, people look at him differently. Many people thought that he was a beautiful guy but they are now wondering what is going on. There have been many rumors that have been going around about Dorian but he did not look like the rumors that were spreading. Everyone was confused as to what was happening with Dorian.
Tori Weisel
ReplyDelete“I cannot do it,” he said, mechanically, as though words could alter things. “You must. You have no choice. Don’t delay.” He hesitated for a moment. “Is there a fire in the room upstairs? (pg 125)”
In this quote Dorian is talking to Alan Campbell about helping him get rid of Basil’s body because Campbell can easily destroy all the evidence with his chemicals. This quote is important because Campbell wants nothing to do with helping Dorian and then Dorian blackmails him into doing it. We are not told what Campbell did though, so that Dorian can blackmail him. Dorian is starting to get more and more evil and is starting to control people. I think that in a way Dorian is starting to have as much power in manipulating people as Lord Henry had over him.
Nik Toor
ReplyDelete"Dorian Gray glanced at the picture, and suddenly 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." (pg.115)
I think when Dorian killed Basil this was the final step in Dorian becoming a man completely without a conscience. Up until this point I think Dorian was making the choices and the picture was being altered to fit what actions he had made, but I think this was a turning point where the picture took over and controlled Dorian to do what it couldn't do, kill Basil. Inside I think Dorian knows without the picture he will have to grow old and it seems like the picture has a mind of its own and it manipulating Dorian to get rid of the people that want to get rid of it or that could get in there way.
Kirsten Zoba
ReplyDelete"He was quite conscious this would tell them nothing. It was true that the portrait still preserved, under all the foulness and ugliness of the face, its marked likeness to himself; but what could they learn from that? ...Yet he was afraid." (103)
This related to the theme of materialism within The Picture of Dorian Gray. It is a constant struggle to balance happiness with material possessions and learn not to relate one to the other.
April Dick
ReplyDelete"There had been mad wilful rejections, monstrous forms of self-torture and self-denial, whose origin was fear, and whose result was a degradation infinitely more terrible than that fancied degradation from which, in their ignorance, they had sought to escape..." (95)
Dorian Gray, amongst Lord Henry's influence, has come to the conclusion that one's desires and temptations are held back mostly by the fear of society's consequences for acting on these instincts. He suggests that while people feel they are doing the right thing by holding back their true nature from society, they are actually degrading themselves even more because Dorian believes that seeing your basic drives and natural behavior in a good light is the healthiest way to live.
Katie Martens
ReplyDelete“But he always made an exception in favour of Dorian Gray. There was something about Dorian that charmed everybody. It was a pleasure even to see him” (88)
This is talking about the theme of beauty in the book. It is saying that if you have beauty, you are also given certain privileges and advantages over others. In the case of Dorian Gray, since he was so beautiful, it was like people automatically liked him. I do believe that this is seen in today’s society, but not to this extent. I think that this is because if you are around someone who is good looking, you want them to like you too, so you try and make exceptions for them. This also shows that sometimes our society, and that of Dorian Gray’s time, can be very shallow. We determine how people are treated by the way they look on the outside.
Jaina Shah
ReplyDelete“Dorian, this is horrible! Something has changed you completely. You look exactly same wonderful boy who, day after day, used to come down to my studio to sit for his picture. But you were simple, natural, and affectionate then. You were the most unspoiled creature in the whole world. Now, I don’t know what has come to over you. You talk as if you had no heart, no pity in you. It is all Harry’s influence. I see that.” (79)
This quote is the most turning point in the book, it mention about how the paint changed according to him. Also, it shows the way he looks at the different things. Dorian always looks at the things his way. For example, he thinks that Harry influence this picture, that’s why it’s changed and does not have pity in him. He doesn’t like when people come into his life and changed it just like the picture.
Laura Ahlrep
ReplyDelete"The dead linger sometimes. The man upstairs will not go away. He is sitting at the table with bowed head and outstretched arms. Alan! Alan! If you don't come to my assistance I am ruined." (124)
I thought this quote well represented how sins will never leave you. Dorian states that the dead sometimes linger, in this case Basil will always linger. Not so much his body but the memory of what Dorian did to Basil will always haunt him like we see later in the chapter and so on. This is also a good idea of guilt that will be painted onto the painting of Dorian to show his true sins. Doing something so bad and trying to cover it up has been seen in human nature as self torture. This repression seems to drive characters in other novels throughout history mad.
Brody Hovatter
ReplyDelete"But youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms." (pg. 118)
This aphorism is stated as the narrator describes Dorian's demeanor the morning after he kills Basil. This quote goes along with the theme of youth and innocence. A young person it seems, based off of this statement, can charm or convince someone of anything with a youthful smile. This characteristic works to Dorian's benefit: his smile can persuade others of his innocence.
Samielle Foltz
ReplyDelete“The husbands of very beautiful beautiful women belong to the criminal classes,” said Lord Henry, sipping his wine. Lady Narborough hit him with her fan. “Lord Henry, I am not at all surprised that the world says that you are extremely wicked”...”But what world is that?”...”It can only be the next world. This world and I are on excellent terms.”(pg 130)
This is another quote that reiterates the fact that Lord Henry is definitely not the greatest person. When Lady Narborough says “I am not at all surprised that the world says that you are extremely wicked.” I'm guessing she's referring to the beauty of Lord Henry's wife. He being wicked would then make his wife very beautiful if she was going off of what Lord Henry said. According to Lord Henry's response he says that he's in good relation with the present world though and it must only be true in another world. By saying that he's basically saying that his wife is not beautiful. He could be defending himself as a non-wicked kind of person but I don't think that's true. With what Lord Henry has said before about women he must entreat a similar behavior on his wife. But isn't it great to know that this guy is still a jerk? He later says something to save himself and satisfy others around him but what he says can be taken as an aphorism, twisting or turning itself on its head. Since Lord Henry takes to spewing out aphorisms so often I would like to think that he only does that to make himself sound smarter than he really is.
Denisse Manrique
ReplyDelete"I wish I could love," cried Dorian , with a deep note of pathos in his voice. "But I seem to have lost the passion, and forgotten the desire. I am too much concentrated on myself. My own personality has become a burden to me. I want to escape, to go away, to forget..."
Dorain realizes that he can't love because of his ego and personality that holds him back from having any maral emotion. He see's that he has lost the desire to love because of the ammoral person he is now. He understands that to have the life he wants he must escape and forget who he has become. He knows that his personality keeps him from being happy, but he doesnt know how to escape it.
Jade Baumann
ReplyDelete"Life has always poppies in her hands. Of coursem now and then things linger, I once wore nothing but violets all through one season, as a form of artistic mourning for a romance that would not die. Ultimately, however, it did die." p74
I thought this quote was a very good representation of the authors feelings towards love. He obviously doubts relationships and lasting love very much, and it seems that he tries to make it worse, as seen by the violets. This probably has a great theme on the book, and other characters involved, in the way that looking down relationships is a common thought.
Tesia Davenport
ReplyDelete"Society, civilized society at least, is never very ready to believe anything to the detriment of those who are both rich and fascinating."..."It should have the dignity of a ceremony, as well as its unreality, and should combine the insincere character of a romantic play with the wit and beauty that make such plays delightful to us. Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think not. It is merely a method by which we can multiply our personalities."(104)
I think Oscar Wilde is hiting on the point that Dorian seems to be corrupt and even though his morals seem to be a little off set, he continues to be welcomed into society because his good looks and how he carries himself. While I was working at the See Sound Lounge last night I noticed that there was Dorians' all over the lounge. His views on love, life, money and women...well it wasn't surprising or shocking to me because I see people that have almost the same views on a daily basis. His chareter in the book is one of the most common types of people I know.
This is also the first time I noticed first person narration in the book.
Crystal Nybo
ReplyDelete" If you try to look at it, Basil, on my word of honour I will never speak to you again as long as I live. I am quite serious. I don't offer any explanation, and you are not to ask for any. But, remember, if you touch this screen, everything is over between us." (pg 82)
In this passage Dorian is talking to Basil about the picture and Dorian tells Basil if he looks at the picture he will not be friends with him anymore. This just shows the great length that Dorian will go to keep his secret of change and corruption hidden. This also carries into our everyday life when peoples appearances change people will go to great lengths to keep their change hidden.
Mark Galambos
ReplyDelete"Beauty is a form of genius-- is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation."
Oscar Wilde brings up many different views on life, and in this quote he brings up a recurring theme, beauty. Beauty symbolizes something that Wilde is obsessed with, the act of simply having beauty is remarkable to him. To be higher than genius is very peculiar, it shows Wilde's sense of how the world works; beauty seems to be everything for him.
Gina Chenoweth
ReplyDelete“Certainly no one looking at Dorian Gray that night could have believed that he had passed through a tragedy as horrible as any tragedy of our age. Those finely-shaped fingers could never have clutched a knife for sin, nor those smiling lips have cried out on God and goodness. He himself could not help wondering at the calm of his demeanour, and for a moment felt keenly the terrible pleasure of a double life.” (128)
This quote is important to the story because it shows how much of a private person Dorian has become. The purpose of this was to show that Dorian is pleased with himself for having a secret and being able to keep his double life hidden from the world. He is even a little surprised at how well put on a façade of nonchalance. One should not look and act okay after committing murder, but somehow Dorian’s conscience has allowed him to repress any guilt. Simply put, Dorian is turning into a monster.
Erik Enselman
ReplyDelete"Why is it that I cannot feel this tragedy as much as I want to? I dont think I am heartless. Do you?"
This quote is about Dorian talking to Lord Henry about the death of Sybil Vane. Dorian feels that he should be more sad about the death of Sybil because he did once love her. Dorian beleives her death was a wonderul ending to a wonderful play.
Brian Gleadle
ReplyDelete"To be good is to be in harmony with oneself...Discord is to be forced to be in harmony with others. One's own life -- that is the important thing." (57)
This aphorism is the culmination of our society, we all only care about ourselves. Most people in our society only care about gaining status for themselves, they'll push anybody and everybody under the bus to attain what they want. We live in a society where everyone has the feeling that we should get what we want whenever we want it, because this is America! But sadly its not true, but no one actually realizes that...
"'It is too late, Basil,' he faltered.
ReplyDelete'It is never too late, Dorian. Let us kneel down and try if we cannot remember a prayer. Isn't there a verse somewhere, 'Though your sins be as scarlet, yet I will make them as white as snow'?'
'Those words mean nothing to me now.'"
This quote to me symbolizes the end of Dorian's "good" side, or in Freudian thinking, his super-ego. One may say that Dorian's super-ego was Basil while Lord Henry is Dorian's id, and that when Basil was killed, Dorian's super-ego died with it. But, I think that Dorian's super-ego died here and was finished to never come again when Basil died. I think it died here because directly after this, Dorian has a sudden hatred and want to hurt Basil, which Dorian would of never done if he had a super-ego. It reveals that Dorian will never feel remorse when doing his actions and will never be a "good" person again.
Maxx Forde
ReplyDelete"Dorian recognized him. I was Basil Hallward. A strange sense of fear, for which he could not account, came over him. He made no sign of recognition, and went on quickly, in the direction of his own house.
But Hallward had seen him. Dorian heard him first stopping on the pavement and then hurrying after him. In a few moments his hand was on his arm.
'Dorian!... Didn't you recognize me?'
'In this fog, my dear Basil? Why, I can't even recognize Grosvenor Square. I believe that my house is somewhere about here, but I don't feel at all certain about it. I am sorry you are going away,as I have not seen you in ages.'" (Pg 107-108)
This scene continues to play out as Basil insists on coming over and Dorian seems to try to make excuses to keep him away, although, these excuses are unsuccessful. Something that comes across in this is just how veiled Dorian is becoming with his cruelty. He doesn't even want to acknowledge the man that got him to meet some of the people in his life to date in this book. He tries to completely avoid him. And then when he is found, he lies. He says that he never saw him and that it was in fact pleasant to see him.
Dan mcmillan
ReplyDeletep 132
a man can be happy with a woman as long as he doesn't love her.
To me this quote fits the message the book is trying to promote. Woman are not disgraced and are thought of as worthless. I feel like the book will
continue to be sexest towards woman until it's end.