1-9-09 - Classwork
Aim: How can Dorian change that one aspect/flaw that may prohibit him from accomplishing his goals or being a good person?
Do Now: If I can change one flaw about myself it would be...because...
Why do you think Dorian resolves to be good and self righteously thinks he has made a good beginning by sparing Hetty Merton from his further advances.
Homework: Complete the following sentence "The final scene of The Picture of Dorian Gray symbolizes..."
Do Now: If I can change one flaw about myself it would be...because...
Why do you think Dorian resolves to be good and self righteously thinks he has made a good beginning by sparing Hetty Merton from his further advances.
The reason Dorian resolves to be good is because he is looking for a new life. Like the text states, " Nor, indeed, was it the death of Basil Hallward that weighed most upon his mind. It was the living death of his own soul that troubled him." Now humans have a normal tendency to try to justify their wrongs, as Dorian was doing in this chapter by reviewing all of his sins. However it was his latest good deed, sparing Hetty Merton from his further advances, that made him think he could justify and revert his life. If Dorian wasn't looking for a new life, none of this would matter to him. He would have no reason to justify and rectify his sins.
Dorian alludes to the possibility of murder; Lord Henry responds there was not reason why Basil would be murdered. Dorian "confesses"; Lord Henry says that is impossible because Dorian does not have it in him to commit such a vulgarity. Why?
Only Dorian and the dead know of his evil and wicked soul. This is why Lord Henry says that it is impossible for Dorian to commit murder. Lord Henry believes that the beautiful, which Dorian "apparently" is, can only do beautiful things and would never stoop so low. However, Dorian is not naturally beautiful; his beauty is more like a mask, as he states. Therefore Dorian appears to be a beautiful man doing good, yet in reality he is close to the devil himself.
In short, because the public only sees the mask of beauty and prestige, Lord Henry could not know what Dorian has done.
Analyze Lord Henry's reference to, "What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" What is Dorian's response to Lord Henry's quote. What is this an allusion to?
In short, because the public only sees the mask of beauty and prestige, Lord Henry could not know what Dorian has done.
"What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"
This quote essentially describes the moral of the novel and Dorian's life. What it is saying is what could a person do with the power of god if they had no soul? By losing the soul, you are essentially losing the person and leaving a skeleton. So although you would gain "the whole world," you would not be there to enjoy and utilize such a gain.
Dorian's response to Lord Henry's quote is "Why do you ask me that, Harry?" This is because Dorian is afraid that Lord Henry might be on to his secret about the painting. Later Dorian answer's his quote by saying, "The soul is a terrible reality. It can be bought, and sold, and bartered away. It can be poisoned, or made perfect. There is a soul in each one of us. I know it." This is an allusion to Dorian's discovery of how he has permanently lost his soul to the devil, even after trying to find it again by doing a good deed.
Why does Lord Henry wish to exchange places with Dorian?
This quote essentially describes the moral of the novel and Dorian's life. What it is saying is what could a person do with the power of god if they had no soul? By losing the soul, you are essentially losing the person and leaving a skeleton. So although you would gain "the whole world," you would not be there to enjoy and utilize such a gain.
Dorian's response to Lord Henry's quote is "Why do you ask me that, Harry?" This is because Dorian is afraid that Lord Henry might be on to his secret about the painting. Later Dorian answer's his quote by saying, "The soul is a terrible reality. It can be bought, and sold, and bartered away. It can be poisoned, or made perfect. There is a soul in each one of us. I know it." This is an allusion to Dorian's discovery of how he has permanently lost his soul to the devil, even after trying to find it again by doing a good deed.
From the text: "I wish I could change places with you, Dorian. The world has cried out against us both, but it has always worshiped you. It always will worship you. You are the type of what the age is searching for, and what it is afraid it has found. I am so glad that you have never done anything, never carved a statue, or painted a picture, or produced anything outside of yourself! Life has been your art. You have set yourself to music. Your days are your sonnets."
In my own words, Lord Henry, being obsessed with beauty, is depressed that he is growing old and losing his beauty. He now listens to the younger generation as he finds their views important and contradicts the older generation as "they solemnly give you the opinions current in 1820." However, by locking in forever youth as Dorian has, Lord Henry would be forever happy and forever admired.
What does Dorian blame Lord Henry for?
In my own words, Lord Henry, being obsessed with beauty, is depressed that he is growing old and losing his beauty. He now listens to the younger generation as he finds their views important and contradicts the older generation as "they solemnly give you the opinions current in 1820." However, by locking in forever youth as Dorian has, Lord Henry would be forever happy and forever admired.
Dorian blames Lord Henry for poisoning him with the book. "Yet you poisoned me with a book once. I should not forgive that. Harry, promise me that you will never lend that book to any one. It does harm."
What is Dorian's summation of his life and the implications?
Dorian summarizes his life by saying, "[Dorian] remembered how pleased he used to be when he was pointed out, or stared at, or talked about. He was tired of hearing his own name now." At one point Dorian was extremely proud of his fountain of youth. He was proud that he could lock in the beauty that he never knew he had. Yet, as soon as he saw in the painting what this everlasting beauty did to him, he regretted ever making the pact with the devil. "All his failure had been due to that [the pact]. Better for him that each sin of his life had brought its sure swift penalty along with it. There was purification in punishment."
How does Dorian react to the final viewing of his portrait and what this leads him to do?
"A cry of pain and indignation broke from him. He could see no change, save that in the eyes there was a look of cunning and in the mouth the curved wrinkle of the hypocrite. The thing was still loathsome--more loathsome, if possible, than before--and the scarlet dew that spotted the hand seemed brighter, and more like blood newly spilled. Then he trembled. Why do you think it may be too late for Dorian to reform?"
Seeing how there was no hope for himself, he decided that his only option was to destroy the painting so that it could no longer wear the sins of his life. "Was he really to confess? Never. There was only one bit of evidence left against him. The picture itself--that was evidence. He would destroy it."
Why do you think it may be too late for Dorian to reform?
Seeing how there was no hope for himself, he decided that his only option was to destroy the painting so that it could no longer wear the sins of his life. "Was he really to confess? Never. There was only one bit of evidence left against him. The picture itself--that was evidence. He would destroy it."
It is definitely too late for Dorian to reform as he has already hurt/killed too many people on his decline. Although he might think he could reform himself, the dead cannot and will not allow his soul to reform.
What is the significance of the knife and where was the fatal wound?
The significance of the knife is that it is the same that Dorian used to kill Basil, and now it was going to kill the artist's last existance. "As it had killed the painter, so it would kill the painter's work, and all that that meant. It would kill the past, and when that was dead, he would be free." After attempting to destroy the painting, the knife had killed Dorian instead stabbing him directly in the heart.
How did they know the "withered, wrinkled, and loathsome of visage" that was laying on the floor was Dorian?
The servants had to look at the rings to tell that the old dead man was indeed Dorian Gray.
How is his death a work of art?
One could say that Dorian's death is a work of art as it restores the once beautiful painting. His death could also be considered a work of art as it was a beautiful ending to a confused, traumatized old man.
Homework: Complete the following sentence "The final scene of The Picture of Dorian Gray symbolizes..."
The final scene of The Picture of Dorian Gray symbolizes the concept that with age shines true beauty and intelligence.