Read Chapters 9,10,11.
Please respond to the prompts in complete sentences. Use quotes when stipulated.
Due: Friday, 12.16
Chapter 9
1. What does Dorian think of "middle-class" virtue?
2. What is the "uselessness of martyrdom"?
3. What are Dorian's views on Philanthropy?
4. What, according to Dorian, do "form and colour tell us"? Which school of thought does this align him with?
Chapter 10
1. Why does Dorian feel uneasy about storing the painting in the school room? Use a quote as support.
2. We know what the title of the yellow book is, we read it in the Introduction. Please write it here.
3. Have you ever found hidden pleasure in reading a certain book? If so, and you feel you can, please do share. My guilty confessions is reading, "Marine Sniper - 93 Confirmed Kills".
Chapter 11
1. What terrifies Dorian most about the book? Use a quote as support.
2. Find the perfect quote that is testament to his rampant consumerism.
3. What type of rumors begin to circulate amongst society about Dorian?
Please respond to the prompts in complete sentences. Use quotes when stipulated.
Due: Friday, 12.16
Chapter 9
1. What does Dorian think of "middle-class" virtue?
2. What is the "uselessness of martyrdom"?
3. What are Dorian's views on Philanthropy?
4. What, according to Dorian, do "form and colour tell us"? Which school of thought does this align him with?
Chapter 10
1. Why does Dorian feel uneasy about storing the painting in the school room? Use a quote as support.
2. We know what the title of the yellow book is, we read it in the Introduction. Please write it here.
3. Have you ever found hidden pleasure in reading a certain book? If so, and you feel you can, please do share. My guilty confessions is reading, "Marine Sniper - 93 Confirmed Kills".
Chapter 11
1. What terrifies Dorian most about the book? Use a quote as support.
2. Find the perfect quote that is testament to his rampant consumerism.
3. What type of rumors begin to circulate amongst society about Dorian?
1. Dorian Gray describes middle class virtue as "something tedious" (WIlde 93). Middle class virtue is what most of the people abide by, and in return makes their life peaceful. It is convention that restrains temptations, which directly goes against Dorian and Henry's motto.
ReplyDelete2. Dorian describes Silbyl's death as "uselessness of martyrdom." Martyrs die for their cause, but from other points of view, the martyr gives up his or her life for something of a little value. Also there is no guarantee that the death will grant what he dies for. I believe Dorian expresses the voidness of Silbyl's death and its little impact on his life.
3. Dorian believes philanthropy to be paradoxical. As soon as its goal is achieved, people become bored of it. People find meaning in its process, and not the results that they are disillusioned once they get what they wanted.
4. Basil says form and colour are just form and colour. However, Dorian Gray approaches with more aesthetic point of view. Form and colour contain artistic beauty, which in his opinion, influences and satisfies people. Dorian Gray's idea aligns with Aestheticism, where artistic beauty is most valued.
1. he feels uneasy about storing the painting in the studying room, since he does not want to ruin the memory of his innocent childhood. "He recalled the stainless purity of his boyish life, and it seemed horrible to him that it was here the fatal portrait was to be hidden away" (Wilde 104). I believe it is irony, and not guilt, which stops him for a moment.
2. The yellow book alludes to J.-K. Huysmans's A rebours, or Against Nature.
3. I love picture books, which may sound childish, but I love looking at the pictures and read the stories, which are simple, but complete.
1. Dorian Gray is heavily influenced by the book. Dorian Gray believes the book to "contain the story of his own life, written before he had lived it" (WIlde 108). However, at the same time, he is intrigued to see how the young parisian in the book has to go through the suffering of aging, which Dorain himself will never experience. "It was with an almost cruel joy ... that he head used to read the latter part of the book" (Wilde 108).
2. "He procured from Amsterdam three emeralds of extraordinary size and richness of colour, and had a turquoise de la vieille roche that was the envy of all the connoisseurs" (Wilde 115).
3. All kinds of rumors begin to circulate amongst society as Dorian's influence grows. Those rumors vary from the one that he will join Catholic community to the more nefarious kinds, where Dorian's suspicious aloofness, and frequent appearance in London's slum become the subject of conversation. However, people are more the less charmed by Dorian Gray and his mysterious life makes him even more attractive.
1. Dorian thinks of “middle-class virtue” as the selfless people that Lord Henry thinks boring and colorless. He thinks of them as the people that are “good husbands” and “faithful wives”; the ones that do not think entirely of themselves and therefore become average, predictable and commonplace (Wilde 93). Dorian seems to find the colorless people not worthwhile but rather “something tedious”, irritated by their selflessness and mediocre lifestyles.
ReplyDelete2. The “uselessness of martyrdom” is Dorian’s belief that a martyr’s death for a cause ultimately creates no impact on whatever remains, deeming it pointless. A martyr is someone that chooses to suffer for a purpose. However, Sibyl’s suffering seemed to cause little impact on Dorian’s life seeing as he went to the opera the evening after he discovered her death; her suffering led to guaranteed nothingness, as opposed to her continuing to live held the possibility for reconciliation and a chance for change.
3. Dorian’s views, most likely derived from something he and Lord Henry discussed, is that philanthropy is just like the achievement of anything else. They believe that the process is the meaningful part but once the goal is achieved, there is no longer anything to strive for and the whole charade becomes boring.
4. Dorian disagrees with Basil who believes that “form and color tells us of form and color” (Wilde 98). Dorian thinks that form and color relays a message of beauty; that the art, the forms and colors, tell a story to the viewer playing their aesthetic senses. This alluring of emotion from a viewer plays to the school of aestheticism.
1. Dorian was uneasy with the idea of storing this portrait in the school room because it held memories of the “stainless purity of his boyish life” and thought the idea of hiding his portrait that displayed the mutilation his sins have caused over the years to his once purely innocent face was absolutely “horrible to him” (Wilde 104). To put something that frightened him in a room where he had found solace and comfort during his youth was his cause for unease.
2. The title of the “yellow book” refers to Against Nature by J.K. Huysmans.
3. I’m not sure that I have a particular book that I find hidden pleasure in reading anymore, but as a child I read Where the Wild Things Are countless times. I often felt that I could relate to the little boy in the book going off to an imaginary world after getting in trouble in the real one. Also, the ending seemed realistic compared to a preposterous happy ending that I could never expect to really happen and it was just comforting to me when I was upset.
1. Dorian has never had to experience the “grotesque dread of mirrors” that Parisian had (Wilde 108). But I believe that a part of Dorian fears that the parts of the story that have so far proven to be absent from his own life will make its debut in a matter of time for he feels that this books is the “story of his own life, written before he had lived it” thus making him possibly worry about what other similarities lay in store (Wilde 108).
2. “How exquisite life had once been! How gorgeous in its pomp and decoration! Even to read of the luxury of the dead was wonderful” (Wilde 116).
3. All sorts of rumors being to circulate about Dorian such as his joining of the Catholic community but Dorian is more concerned with the rumors about a possible scheming that he has been a part of. The upper-class society also talks about his unchanging youthful look but are awed by his beauty that has been altered all those years.
Chapter 9:
ReplyDelete1.) Dorian thinks that middle-class virtue is nothing to be fearful about. It is a common place meant for, “good husbands, faithful wives, or something tedious (Wilde 93).”
2.) The “uselessness of martyrdom” is Dorian’s way of describing Sybil’s death. A martyr suffers for a cause they strongly believe in, which Sybil did, but in reality, according to Dorian, she really suffered for nothing because Dorian is quite indifferent about the situation.
3.) Dorian believes that Philanthropy just leads to disappointment. He addresses this with an example of a man who spent many years of his life to get an unjust law fixed, but finally, when it did occur, he was just left in disappointment. So, you shouldn’t expect too much.
Chapter 10:
1.) Dorian feels uneasy about storing the painting in the schoolroom because it reminded him of his sad childhood. “Every moment of his lonely childhood came back to him as he looked around (Wilde 104),” which shows that Dorian has a sad childhood to recall and he doesn’t want a portrait of himself to be in this room that Dorian himself is quite uncomfortable with.
2.) The title of the yellow book is Against Nature, A Rebours by J.-K. Huysmans.
3.) I find hidden pleasure in reading Jodi Picoult’s book because there are just so many different sides of the story and you just never know what is going to happen in the end. The ending always leaves you with mixed feelings on a controversial topic and it is an interesting read to follow along characters before and after the alleged incident. It is a good book to read if you want to tumble with your emotions and what is the line between morality.
Chapter 11:
1.) Dorian is terrified about the book because it represents his life. “And, indeed, the whole book seemed to him to contain the story of his own life, written before he had lived it (Wilde 108),” which scares Dorian because it is foreshadowing his life. The beautiful young main character’s beauty decays which makes Dorian scared of this foreshadowing his beauty even though he doesn’t lose it, but the painting does.
2.) “ He would often spend a whole day settling and resettling in their cases the various stones that he had collected, such as the olive-green chrysoberyl, that turns red by lamplight, the cymophane with its wire-like line of silver, . . . and amethysts with their alternate layers of ruby and sapphire (Wild 115).”
3.) Rumors spread that Dorian’s frank manner, charismatic smile, and his youth never leave him. Women who were once intimate with Dorian now feel shame and horror around him. More scandals about Dorian were spoken. His wealth was a security and he had a dangerous charm.
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. I think that what Dorian thinks of "middle-class" virtue was influenced by Lord Henry, as he describes it as the people who are the "good husbands, or faithful wives, or something tedious" (Wilde 93). He then followed up this description with how he thought Sibyl was nothing of the sort, although he says that "as a rule, people who act lead the most commonplace lives… You know what I mean - middle-class virtue" (Wilde 93).
2. Dorian thinks that the "uselessness of martyrdom", is about the death of a martyr who is nothing but "wasted beauty", even though they suffer for something, just like Sibyl did for Dorian. But since Dorian doesn't really care about the whole situation, he believes that Sibyl's death is a perfect example for "uselessness of martyrdom".
3. Although Dorian's view on philanthropy was most definitely influenced by Lord Henry, it is the process of something meaningful, yet when achieved, there is nothing significant about it, since there isn't anything left for one to strive for, making the whole situation useless.
4. Basil says that form and color are just what they are; form and color. But Dorian's views on form and color are that they are ideas that meet a person's satisfaction. This thought is one of his aesthetic theories that regard artistic beauty as primary importance.
Chapter 10
1. Dorian felt uneasy about storing the painting away in the school room, because it reminded him of "his lonely childhood" and "the stainless purity of his boyish life" (Wilde 104). He thought that it was horrible to have to put away the "fatal portrait" in a place where "Every moment of his lonely childhood came back to him as he looked round" the school room. (Wilde 104).
2. The yellow book is called Against Nature; A Rebours, written by J.-K. Huysmans.
3. I often find satisfaction in rereading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Although I know the plot and the conclusion by heart, it's exciting to pretend that the book is something new, so that I can enjoy reading the story over and over.
Chapter 11
1. What Dorian is terrified about the book, is that it represents him and his life. "Dorian Gray could not free himself from the influence of this book. What scares him even more is how the book seems to foreshadow is future as well. The character is represented with profound beauty, yet in the book his beauty decays; which scares Dorian into thinking that, although it might not happen to him, it is happening to his painting.
2. "How exquisite life had once been! How gorgeous in its pomp and decoration! Even to read of the luxury of the dead was wonderful" (Wilde 116).
3. Dorian's mysteriousness of his unchanging beauty and youth, a possibility of him joining the Catholic community and his distance he puts between people have sparked rumors about him. But the more the people notice and point out his peculiar ways, he seems to be interpreted as even more attractive than he already is.
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1)Dorian thinks that ‘middle-class’ virtue is boring. He refers to good husbands and faithful wives. He says it because he thinks it is too simple and common, that it’s boring. And he would rather enjoy something with more tragedy and interest.
2)The ‘uselessness of martyrdom’ is referring to the death of Sybil. Dorian thinks the death of Sybil does not impact him as much. Martyrdom is dying for their own belief. Sybil died because she believed, and knew the true love. But for Dorian, the death of Sybil wasn’t anything for him.
3)In Dorian’s point of view, he thinks Philanthropy is a person who tries to succeed a goal, but then after he does, he have no interest in that subject. Therefore, the person gets bored, and find nothing interesting to accomplish.
4)Dorian says that the form and color of the art reveals a message. This refers to the portrait of himself which he sees the change in expression. This thought align with aestheticism, because it is appreciating the beauty of the art.
Chapter 10
1)Dorian feels uneasy about storing the portrait in the school room because he does not want to ruin the memories of his childhood, by putting the portrait which he is trying to avoid. “He recalled the stainless purity of his boyish life, and it seemed horrible to him that it was here the fatal portrait was to be hidden away” (Wilde 104).
2)The yellow book is A Rebours by J.-K. Huysman.
3)I do not have a particular book which I find pleasure in reading. But I love books
Chapter 11
1)Dorian is terrified about the book because the book seems like talking about his own life, and he gets influenced with the whole book, which he can’t stop reading. “The whole book seemed to him to contain the story of his own life” (Wilde 108).
2)“For these treasures, and everything that he collected in his lovely house, were to be to him means of forgetfulness” (Wilde 119).
3)There were rumors that Dorian was fighting with the foreign sailors, hanged around with thieves, and knew the truths about trading. And women who were once admired in Dorian’s appearance, are no avoiding him.
Chapter 9
ReplyDeleteDorian thinks that “middle-class” virtue is something very boring, tiring and commonplace. In his mind, those who are faithful husbands/wives are those who have “middle-class” virtue. He resulted in delighting himself to Sybil Vane’s death because it was so out of the norm.
Dorian says martyrdom is useless because he thinks it is just a waste to kill one’s self for something one believes in.. He calls Sybil Vane’s death similar to the death of a martyr because she wasted her beauty and life over him although it changed nothing.
Dorian’s view of philanthropy is just a source of disappointment and a waste of time. While one is trying to achieve something, one has a motive and a goal. However when it is achieved, there is nothing else to do and life become boring. This is a very depressing thought though.
Dorian’s does not agree with what Basil says about form and color. He believes that form and color bring together beauty and something worth appreciating and not only form and color. It think this alignes with the school of thought of aestheticism. Dorian is very aesthetic, so there is no surprise here.
Chapter 10
Dorian feels uneasy about storing the painting in the school room because the school room was filled with his “stainless purity of his boyish life” (Wilde 104). Therefore, he did not wish to taint that image with the marks of his sins.
The yellow book is J.-K. Huysman’s A rebours, or Against Nature.
I don’t know if I’ve ever had “hidden” pleasure in reading books, but I certainly do have pleasure in reading. However, I am embarrassed to admit that I only read “Flat Stanley” (a REALLY skinny book with enormous letters) until the end of my third grade life and really love it even now.
Chapter 11
I think what Dorian is mot terrified about the book is the parts where the character showed signs of aging. He knows that he will never have to face the fears of aging due to his portrait, but I think the idea of aging is fearful to him and also seems to give him thrills to read. “occasioned by the sudden decay of a beauty that had once, apparently, been so remarkable” (Wilde 108).
“He possessed a gorgeous cope of crimson silk and gold-thread damask, figured with a repeating patter of gold pomegranates set in six petalled formal blossoms...silver thread and colored crystals” (Wilde 118).
I think that rumors followed Dorian Gray all the time. He was being said to join the Catholic community. People aslo remarked on how he always remained youthful. Youths also mimicked everything he wore. All in all, people were always fascinated with Dorian Gray. Therefore, he was often the center of peoples’ conversations.
chap 9.
ReplyDelete1. Dorian refers to middle-class virtue was “something tedious” (Wilde, 93), meaning that he is considering it as something boring and common. 2. Dorian thinks that Sibyl’s death was “uselessness of martyrdom”, since martyrs dye for their religion, which from the third-person seems pathetic. Sibyl died for her true love,which, from Dorian’s perspective was pathetic and “useless”.
3. The story of the philanthropist was a man dedicating 20 years of his to achieve his goal, and once it was accomplished he felt nothing but boredom. So that Dorian thinks that it is the process that humans enjoy, and once you receive, it only leaves one disappointment
. 4. Dorian believes that colors and forms reveal the artist himself. Unlike Basil, Dorian enjoys art as beauty, which aligns with aestheticism.
chap 10.
1. Dorian feels uneasy about storing the painting in the school room because “every moment of his lonely childhood came back to him as he looked around” (Wilde 104), which “seemed horrible to him that it was here the fatal portrait was to be hidden away” (Wilde 104).
2. The yellow book is called A rebours by J.K. Huysmans.
3. For me, flipping through picture books from my childhood, such as Curious George and A Giving Tree gives me a hidden pleasure that is hard to explain. I feel like I’m going back to my childhood and I get reminded of my past.
chap.11.
1.Dorian is terrified by this book because it is a mirror-image of his life. “The whole book seemed to him to contain the story of his own life, written before he had lived it” (Wilde 108).
2. “He sought to accumulate the most exquisite specimens that he could find of textile and embroidered work, getting the dainty Delhi muslins, finely wrought with gold thread palmates” (Wilde 118).
3. People have been suspicious of his unchanging youth, there were rumors of him joining the Roman Catholic communion, and him brawling with foreign sailors.
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. Dorian describes the middle-class virtue as "something tedious" (Wilde 93). He uses this term when describing the kind of lives that actors have outside of their roles, implying that Sibyl Vane was just a common girl when she didn't act.
2. Dorian uses this term to describe Sibyl Vane's death. A martyr is someone who dies for their beliefs, usually religious. Dorian believes that this is Sibyl's case, and finds it pathetic and useless to die for your cause. She died because Dorian left her, and Dorian left her because of her acting. So, she died in the name of acting.
3. Dorian thinks the philanthropy involves someone trying so hard to do something, so that when they do finally succeed, they lose all interest in the subject to begin with. I bet he got this philosophy from Lord Henry...
4. He says the form and colour tell us of form and colour, implying just how abstract art really is, and how art conceals the artist more effectively then art can reveal.
Chapter 10
1. Although the painting is locked up in a sealed part of the house, he is still concerned whether or not it is truly safe from being view. Upon being asked to see the painting, Dorian "felt ready to leap upon him and fling him to the ground if he dared life the gorgeous hanging that concealed the secret of his life," (Wilde 105).
2. A rebours
3. Hm... I don't really have any "secret pleasures" in any books, not anything like Dorian Gray had, at least. I guess you could say that I like reading Harry Potter for nostalgia, but that's not really "secret"...
Chapter 11
1. I think Dorian freaks out a bit when he realizes how close the book is to his life. "And, indeed, the whole book seemed to him to contain the story of his own life, written before he had lived it," (Wilde 108).
2. "For these treasures, and everything that he had 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," (Wilde 119).
3. There were a lot of rumors about Dorian's looks, as even though the years went by, he looked the same. Also, there were rumors about scandals with the Catholic Church, since he joined it during his epicurean period.
Chapter 9
ReplyDeleteDorian claims that middle-class virtue is ‘something tedious’ (Wilde 93). He believes that typical ‘good husbands, or faithful wives’ have no colour and are therefore contradicting to his idea of living. Sibyl’s death was very contradicting to middle-class virtues, and thus lightens Dorian’s mood.
Martyrs sacrifice themselves for their beliefs. Therefore, Dorian’s claim on Sibyl’s death having all ‘the pathetic uselessness of martyrdom’ implies that martyrdom is useless in its hope for change (Wilde 94). This quote could therefore suggest that Sibyl’s death had little impact on Dorian’s life and his affections towards her.
Dorian believes that philanthropy only leads to misanthropy. Once generosity is continuously achieved, a philanthropist would only see that ‘nothing could exceed his disappointment’, and would therefore get bored of society (Wilde 94).
Unlike Basil who thinks ‘form and colour tell us of form and colour’ only (Wilde 98), Dorian sees form and colour as the main basis for artistic beauty. This idea aligns with Aestheticism; Dorian feels that beauty is the most valuable possession.
Chapter 10
Dorian feels uneasy with storing the painting in the school room because he feels that a place of ‘stainless purity’ could not adapt well with something so sinful; ‘it seemed horrible to him that it was here the fatal portrait was to be hidden away’ (Wilde 104). Like Henry influencing Dorian, Dorian may feel that the portrait will influence his pure childhood memories.
The yellow book is J.-K. Huysmans’s Against Nature: A Rebours.
I don’t have any hidden pleasures in reading certain books. However, a book that I've read 8 times, and would read it again any time and any place, is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I've told people that I've read it 3-5 times, but I lied…Guilty as charged.
Chapter 11
The thing that terrifies Dorian the most about the book is that it seems to ‘contain the story of his own life, written before he had lived it’ (Wilde 108). Therefore, Dorian worries that the mishaps of the Parisian, may affect himself, eventually. This book, may therefore foreshadow Dorian’s story.
‘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’ (Wilde 119). The reason I chose this quote is because it emphasizes Dorian’s rampant consumerism, as a whole, while other quotes only describe what he collects, individually. This quote also references the act of escaping from one’s self; we all know that in order to escape, one must overindulge to keep their minds off of their fears.
The mystery of Dorian’s youth is perhaps the most rumored aspect of him. Aside from this, ‘his frank debonair manner, his charming boyish smile’ and the fact that his ex’s ‘shun him’ are also speculated (Wilde 120). Dorian’s only reaction to these ‘whispered scandals’, however, is to increase ‘his strange and dangerous charm’ (Wilde 120).
Chapter 9
ReplyDelete1. Dorian thinks that the middle-class virtue is boring and people “lead the most commonplace lives” (Wilde 93). He is not fond of it and believes that people should live to their fullest, yielding to their temptations.
2. The “Uselessness of martyrdom” is referring to Sibyl’s death. Martyrs give up their lives for their strong belief in something, and this relates to Sibyl because she killed herself for her deep love for Dorian. Dorian thinks it’s useless because he it’s nothing but a pity and a beautiful tragedy to him. It didn’t make him love her more, and he was still able to continue on ordinarily with his life.
3. Dorian thinks that philanthropy is meaningless because once the person finds out that he has achieved his goal, he feels empty and disappointed instead. This kind of reminds me of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the author of One Day in the life of Ivan Denisovich.
4. While Basil says that “form and color tells us of form and color-that is all” Dorian thinks there’s much more to it, because form and color can reveal secrets and tell stories and have meanings behind it. This aligns with his belief in aestheticism.
Chapter 10
1. Dorian is uneasy about storing the painting in the school room because he spent most of his lonely childhood in that room and he remembered “the stainless purity of his boyish life, and it seemed horrible to him that it was in” that room that he was going to hide away his hideous sins (Wilde 104).
2. The yellow book is A Rebours (Against Nature) by J.-K. Huysmans
3. I have never found hidden pleasure in reading any specific book; however I do like reading books with twisted plots. I also like reading notebooks, diaries or even simple notes from other people secretly, because I find it interesting to see their different thoughts and perspectives on things. Sometimes I also uncover their little secrets or discover something that I never knew about that person which makes it even more fascinating.
Chapter 11
1. Dorian thought that the whole book contained “the story of his own life” (Wilde 108), yet the protagonist in the novel had to face the horror of aging. It was “the sorrow and despair of one who had himself lost what …he had most dearly valued” (Wilde 108) that terrified Dorian the most, and he read it with cruel joy.
2. “How exquisite life had once been! How gorgeous in its pomp and decoration! Even to read of the luxury of the dead was wonderful” (Wilde 116).
3. Various rumors arise as Dorian’s never-aging youthful looks become suspicious. People began to whisper and scrutinize him, “determined to discover his secret” (Wilde 120). However, those scandals only seemed to increase “his strange and dangerous charm” (Wilde 120).