Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Dialectical

Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Dialectical Journal

Names of Group Members: – Seham Azzam – Mariana Calvo – Shirley Chan – Josh Costa

Find three passages that show the nature of sin and its effects on people. What does each passage show/what message is Wilde trying to convey? Quote Analysis – “. . . It was to hide something that had a corruption of it’s own, worse than the corruption of death itselfsomething that would breed horrors and yet would never die. What the worm was to the corpse, his sins would be to the painted image on the canvas. They would mar its beauty and eat away it’s grace” (87).

Find three passages that show the importance of art or lack of importance. Remember that music, actual painting, even human life are considered art by Wilde and his characters. Quote Analysis " He is all my art to me now, " said the painter, gravely. " I sometimes think, Harry, that there are only two eras of any importance in the world's history. The first is the appearance of a new medium for art, and the second is the appearance of a new personality for art also. What the invention of oil-painting was to the Venetians, the face of Antinous was to late Greek sculpture, and the face of Dorian Gray will some day be to me. It is not merely that I paint from him, draw from him, sketch from him. Of course I have done all that. But he Is much more to me than a model or a sitter. I won't tell you that I am dissatisfied with what I have done of him, or that his beauty is such that Art cannot express It. There Is nothing that Art cannot express, and I know that the work I have done, since I met Dorian Gray, is good work, is the best work of my life. – Exaggerates stating that Dorian is all his art. Painting him has allowed him to feel important. – Has allowed him to be compared to how his art I will be as important to how the invention of oil painting is to the Venetians, the face of Antinous is to Greek sculpture. – Has allowed him to feel deep praise and peace of mind and passion for painting and creating his art, since it is “much more” that “his beauty is such that Art cannot express” although “There is nothing Art cannot express” – Conveys a very loving and praising tone showing how art affects him in a positive way. – Lets him feel important – Allows peace and passion to soothe his mind – Makes him feel proud – Believes that the work he has done “is the best work of (his) life.

Find three passages that show the importance of art or lack of importance. Remember that music, actual painting, even human life are considered art by Wilde and his characters. Quote Analysis – “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. Fashion, by which what is really fantastic becomes for a moment universal, and Dandyism, which, in its own way, is an attempt to assert the absolute modernity of beauty, had, of course, their fascination for him”(94).

Find three passages that show the superficial nature of society. What does each passage show? Quote Analysis – “You have a wonderfully beautiful face, – (Harry speaking to Dorian about his Mr. Gray. Don't frown. You have. And beauty) Beauty is a form of Genius Is higher, indeed, than Genius, as it needs no – In the beginning of the book explanation. It is of the great facts of the world, like sunlight, or spring-time, or the reflection in dark waters of that silver shell we call the moon. It can-not be questioned. It has its divine right of sovereignty. It makes princes of those who have It. You smile ? Ah ! when you have lost it you won't smile. . People say sometimes that Beauty is only superficial. That may be so. But at least it is not so superficial as Thought Is. To me, Beauty Is the wonder of wonders. ” Pg 16

Names of Group Members: – Katherine Cobb – Vanessa Chapman – Karen Arias – Victoria Loustaunau

Find three passages that show the nature of sin and its effects on people. What does each passage show/what message is Wilde trying to convey? Quote Analysis – "Sick with a wild terror of dying. . . as the thoughts crept through his brain, he grew pale with terror, and air seemed to have suddenly gotten colder. . . Out of the black cave of time, terrible and swathed in scarlet rose his sin" (147) – Lying on the floor was a dead man in the evening dress, with a knife in his heart. (165) – Drives himself crazy – Personification of Sin – Effect on Dorian is evident

Find three passages that show the positive/negative effects of influence over another person. These passages should be from as many different viewpoints as possible. Quote Analysis – Vanessa – "You have killed my love. . . A low moan broke from her and she flung herself at his feet, and lay there like a trampled flower. . . A fit of passionate sobbing choked her. She crouched on the floor like a wounded thing. . . " (63 -64). – Sibyl is devistated by Dorian by breaking her heart – She will forever be incomplete and broken because of Dorians rejection – The flower represents her passion being "trampled" and causes her to "choke" – This shows that her intentions have been genuine and she truly loves him

Find three passages that show the superficial nature of society. What does each passage show? Quote – " The reason we all like to think so well of others is that we are all afraid of ourselves. The basis of optimism is sheer terror. " Analysis – Manipulation – Jealousy

Find and explain three symbols Quote Analysis – The Key – “-himself would creep upstairs to the locked room, open the door with the key that never left him now, and stand, with a mirror, in front of the portrait that Basil Hallward had painted of him, looking now at the evil and aging face on the canvas. . . " (93) – Since the painting represents Dorian's soul, the key is a symbol for the way he hid his soul from society – The key depicts the mystery Dorian maintained about his life – Like the "key that never left him", his secret never left him either

Find and explain two themes from the novel. Quote – Vanessa – Surround yourself with positive influences or else you could regret who you become or the decisions you make for yourself. – " I hope the girls good, Harry. I do not want to see Dorian tied to a vile creature who might degrade his nature and ruin his intelect" (53). Analysis – Basil is considered to be a positive influence over Dorian, while Lord Henry portrays himself as darkness. – Basil always looks for his best interest while Lord Henry is considered to manipulate Dorian. – Basil is whole hearted in everything he does, while Henry's intentions are so ingenuine. Especially towards sibyl. – Ex: The first time they see Sibyl act Henry remarks that she is not a good actor but finds her looks appealing.

Names of Group Members: – Sydney Freyermuth, Brianna Mundell, and Lindsay Gray

Find three passages that show the nature of sin and its effects on people. What does each passage show/what message is Wilde trying to convey? Quote Analysis – “Campbell looked at him in surprise, and then took up the paper, and opened it. As he read it, his face became ghastly pale, and he fell back in his chair. A horrible sense of sickeness came over him. He felt as if his heart was beating itself to death in some empty hollows” (125). – This shows the nature of sin because over the years Dorian has gotten worse. First he broke Sibyls heart, killed Basil, and now he is blackmailing Campbell.

Find three passages that show the importance of art or lack of importance. Remember that music, actual painting, even human life are considered art by Wilde and his characters. Quote Analysis – “Art has no influence upon action. It annihilates the desire to act. It is superbly sterile. The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. This is all” (161). – Here, we learn that the idea of art is showing what has been wrong with the world. An example of this is “the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. ” The wrong in the world is represented by lord Henry’s and Dorian’s excuses for their wrongdoings. The point that Wilde is trying to make is that sin is hidden even in the most innocent. (Dorian)

Find three passages that show the positive/negative effects of influence over another person. These passages should be from as many different viewpoints as possible. Quote Analysis – “He stood there for some minutes looking at the dead body. As he rode home, his eyes were full of tears, for he knew he was safe” (154). – The death of James has a positive effect on Dorian because it meant that he was now safe.

Find and explain two themes from the novel. Quote – “He grew more and more enamored of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul” (93). Analysis – The theme of this quote would be not to judge a book by its cover. Just because something looks a certain way, doesn’t mean it is. This is proven through Dorian and how nasty he is on the inside, yet so handsome on the outside.

Find three passages that show the conflict between youth and beauty versus age. What is Wilde trying to show with these passages? Quote Analysis – “But beauty, real beauty, ends where and intellectual expression begins” (2).