Dorian Gray 20

"Like the painting of a sorrow, a face without a heart." - Dorian (originally from Hamlet) (p220)
Dorian says this quote, and it seems to apply to both Dorian and Harry immensely. They both are very emotionless and never really consider people's actual feelings - only superficial things. Especilly Harry. Harry, with almost every death in the book, didn't seem to care about the actual dead person. He only thought about how the death may affect himself or Dorian. An example would be when James got shot, he wished that the shooter had killed him on purpose, "a murder", solely because it would be more interesting. In Hamlet, King Claudius asks Laertes this because of Laerte's fathers death. He is asking Laertes, is he sad /mournful for the death? Or is he heartless and not care? In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian is much like the painting. Because after all these deaths, especially Basil's, he doesn't feel bad - he is emotionless. Heartless.

Dorian Gray 19

Harry says "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it." (p21)
Harry tells Dorian this, i'm still not completely sure why he wanted to tell Dorian this. Maybe Dorian tempted to be eternally young, so he just accepted the wish and sold his soul to have it(?) Although, when I first read it I thought maybe Dorian had a man crush on Harry, and Harry was simply telling him not to ignore his love, and just to face facts. But either way, this quote is ironic for Harry to say, because Harry very rarely "yields to temptation." It seemed his character only talked in this play, he shared his advice (most of it being bad advice) and never really acted much. His only use, it seemed, was too greatfully influence Dorian, and definitely not for the best.

Dorian Gray 18

I am going to pick some quote that stood out to me in the book for the rest of my blogs and explain what they mean to me and their importance.
Basil said "When I like people immensely I never tell their names to any one." (p6)
I marked this quote at the time because I didn't understand why Basil didn't want to reveal Dorians names, or anyones who he liked. But later it became obvious. I think Basil greatly admired (and maybe even loved) Dorian. He didn't want anyone to see him or talk to him, because then they might fall in love with him or take him away from him. But later, Harry did that very thing. Dorian was amazed by Harry and learned horrible things from him. Also, Sibyl did the same thing. Because Dorian loved Sibyl an Sibyl admired Dorian so much, Basil felt like he was being replaced.

Dorian Gray 17

I don't really know what else to talk about, so I decided to talk about the deaths in the book.
Basil: Basil's death was one of the most shocking. But then, because Dorian showed him the portrait and because Basil was basically the symbol of reality, I could predict he would die eventually. And after his death, Dorian went on with his life with little guilty.
Alan Campbell: Alan helped Dorian burn the body so there was no evidence of Dorian killing him. Alan didn't want to help him, but Dorian threatened him, so he couldn't help but rid the body. Soon after, Alan committed suicide. I was surprise he didn't reveal Dorian's secret before he killed himself, but I guess that was just another instance in which Dorian avoided death himself.
James Vane: James set out to kill Dorian after being told who he was, since before all he knew him as was "Prince Charming." It was weird how he died too, because the man who shot him was aiming to kill a rabbit that even Dorian told him not to kill.
Dorian: Dorian's surprised death was probably the most interesting. He just wanted to kill his ugly portrait, hoping that by killing the portrait he would get rid of all the ugliness and evilness in his soul, but because he was so corrupt by his vanity and such, he killed himself.

Dorian Gray 16

After looking through this book, I see that a lot of the instances is like Hamlet. For one, Sibyl Vane is SO much like Ophelia. She falls in love with this crazy guy, in her case Dorian (although Dorian is not much like Hamlet.) Also her brother, James, acts like Ophelia's brother. In Hamlet, before Ophelia's brother, Laertes, leaves he tells her not to fall in love with Hamlet and he didn't like the relationship. This is so much like the discussion James has with Sibyl! Although, James also tells her that if Dorian hurts her, he would kill him. And, like Ophelia, Sibyl commits suicide because her lover went crazy. Later, James returns wanting to kill Dorian, like how Laertes wanted to kill Hamlet. And in both stories, the brother dies in trying to kill the lover.
But Dorian is not like Hamlet at all. Hamlet actually loved Ophelia and when she died, he was upset and said he loved her more than a thousand brothers, but Dorian was emotionless and thought only of hiself.

Dorian Gray 15 THEME

The last theme I found in this book was "Reality." It went against evrything Harry pretty much said, and was mainly found in Basil's words. This theme wasn't found much in the beginning of the book, but more towards the end. Basil told Dorin "position and wealth are not everything" (p153) This was basically the opposite of whatever Harry said. Harry would constantly tell Dorian that beauty was the onlyh important thing, and Basil basically told him it WASNT. Basil admits the reality of the situation again when he tells Dorian "You led them there.. yet you can smile as you are smiling now." (p155) Basil is saying that Dorian has hurt so many people and ruined so many reputations, but he is an emotionless robot and acts as if it was nothing. Also before Dorian kills Basil, Basil says "You have done enough evil in your life!" (p162) I think Basil basically put a mirror in front of Dorian's soul and didn't sugarcoat. He told him what was actually going on, he had to break Dorian out of this superficial, "all about Dorian" world. But Dorian killed him. :(

Dorian Gray 14 THEME

Theme: Fakeness
There is a lot of ideas of "fakeness" in this novel, more predominant in Sibyl and Dorian's relationship. They constantly refer to each other using play references. I think Sibyl was hoping for a Princess Movie relationship, especially because she constantly would refer to Dorian as "Prince Charming." Also Dorian hoped to "make Romeo jealous" (p59) with his relationship. After Sibyl acted badly, she admitted to Dorian "acting was the one reality of my life."(p90) This idea seemed very true, and that's why she was such a good actor; This is also why her love for Dorian made her a bad actor. After Sibyl commited suicide, Harry told Dorian that her death "seemed.. simply like a wonderful ending to a wonderful play." (p104) This play reference even continues after she died. This idea rubs off onto Dorian and he later tells Basil that her death was "one of the greatest romantic tragedies of the age." (p113)

Dorian Gray 13 THEME

Theme: Women/Love
This theme has many different sides, meaning that there were a lot of different perspectives on it. Harry and Dorian seemed to have the same view (probably because Harry has such a strong influence ver Dorian.)
One of the most important examples of this theme, is the relationship between Sibyl Vane and Dorian Gray. Dorian was in love with Sibyl because she was an actress. He said "Ordinary women never appear to one's imagination... But an actress! How different and actress is!" (p55) But this love story ended quick since Sibyl lost her great acting ability since she actually experienced love with Dorian. Dorian refuses to marry her after and she kills herself.
Harry has such a horrible view on women. With the way he talks about them, I can't believe he was ever married. Some of his quotes are:
"no woman is a genius... They never have anything to say." (p51)
"Women treat us just as Humanity treats its gods. They worship us, and are always bothering us to do something for them." (p83)
Dorian continues to mock women and the idea of love, he also believed men could only be happy with a woman if he doesnt love her.

Dorian Gray 12 THEME

Since I finished reading, I'm going to recall all the themes I marked in this book.
Theme: Vanity
This theme has to most reoccuring throughout the novel. The origin of this theme of vanity is the character Harry. Throughou the novel, Dorian's Youth and Beauty was the only important aspect. He's the one who told Doria that he would be nothing without his youth, forcing Dorian to wish that he would look young forever and later corrupt him. Even when Sibyl died, the only thing that worried Harry was if Dorian's name be spoiled and he would be famous for a scandal. He even told Dorian "There is nothing that you, with your extrordinary good looks, will not be able to do." (p108) These ideas corrupt Dorians mind, thinking his beauty is all he needs. Dorian even became aware of his vanity when he says on p131 "He grew more and more enamored of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul." Also the Duchess recognizes Harry's superficiality when she tells im "That is your error, Harry, believe me. You value beauty far too much." (p199)

Dorian Gray 11

WOW! The ending of this book was so good! Dorian returned to the locked room in which he killed Basil in. He was hoping that the old ugly portrait would look more youthful, or anyway better, because recently he has been acting "good." But to his horror, it was still ugly. Also, there seemed to be more blood in the portrait. So, he thought that if he stabbed the portrait, it would kill all the evilness in his soul. But later, he was found, old and wrinkled, laying dead on the floor while his young portrait was hanging on the wall.
I thought this was interesting, because the whole time, I think Dorian figured himself was who he was, but really the portrait was a mirror of his soul. So when he stabbed the portrait he really killed his own self, his soul! Its funny because before the thing that saved him was his youth beauty (when Sibyls brother was gonna kill him) but that very thing caused his death.

Dorian Gray 10

Dorian is at a party with the Duchess, who I think loves him but he is too crazy to return the love, and Harry (as well as a few others.) After a discussion, Dorian faints because he thought he saw James Vane, the man set out to kill him. Also before that, Dorian witnessed a rabbit, who he wished to save, get shot, as well as an unknown man. As I supposed, the man was James Vane. Vane also had a gun with him, so he was probably going to kill Dorian. Dorian was happy to see his killer did, because then he didn't have to worry about his own death anymore.
This section really got me mad. This is the 2nd time that Dorian avoided his death and it also got me mad because 2 great innocent people died: James and Basil. Although Dorian isn't paranoid to die anymore, I think he hates his youthfulness now. And he is also starting to develop guilt for killing Basil, and I don't think it helped when Harry told him he could never changed. Dorian hoped to start a new pure life, but I dont think he successfully can because he is so corrupt.

Dorian Gray 9

Dorian Gray has completely lost his soul. His reputation is tarnished and all he has is his youth and beauty. He then turns to drugs, craving opium. He meets with a new friend and then the person I've been waiting for to show up, James Vane, hunts Dorian down. He is ready to kill Dorian, but then Dorian convinces him that he is not "Prince Charming" for he is so young. James apologizes and lets him go.
This really upsets me. Dorian Gray is so corrupt and a horrible person, I honestly think he deserves to die. It's not fair that the one thing that eats at his soul and causes such corruption, saves him.
But later a woman tells James that the man he caught IS Prince Charming and he shouldn't have let him go. I don't know who the woman is, but I wish James wouldve talked to her sooner so he can avenge his sisters suicide.

Dorian Gray 8

Dorian called over an old friend and told him he had to get rid of the body that was rotting in his locked room. At first the friend, Campbell refused to be in his dirty business but afterwords Dorian threatened him. At this point I don't know what, he wrote something on a piece of a paper and showed it to him. I think he threatened to kill him. Whatever it was, it convinced Campbell to burn it with his chemicals. He left afterwords and told Dorian that he didn't want to be apart of any of his business again. I felt like Campbell kind of replaced Basil in that he was telling Dorian what society saw him as, showing him reality like Basil did. I don't know what's going to happen to Campbell afterward, I think that maybe Dorian will kill him too because he knows his secret.

Dorian Gray 7

So, Dorian is completely psycho. After revealing to Basil his secret, the ugly portrait, he killed him. Without a thought, just killed him. I think that Dorian couldn't handle anyone knowing how much his youth has truly left him and how corrupt he's became - and that's what Basil showed him. Basil wouldn't be like Harry and just tell him as long as he had his youth it'd be okay; Basil tells him the reality, what's really happening. Afterwards, Dorian was still emotionless. He didn't think about anything or anyone except himself. He figured he would get away with it. By killing Basil, Dorian has completely shunned reality. He will continue to live in this fantasy world in which the rules are set by Harry.

Dorian Gray 6

I think, so far, that each character in this book represents some idea. Harry, obviously, is superficiality. Throughout the novel I have marked about 20 quotes that represent majority and all of them are either by him or influenced by him. He's the one that planted the idea that Dorian would be nothing without his youth, because youth is everything. on pg 25 he declares "Youth! Youth! There is absolutely nothing in the world but youth!"
Then I think Dorian symbolizes corruption. He becomes so obsessed with his beauty that he basically sells his soul for eternal youth. After he makes that wish to forever look young, he loses all his friends and his name is tarnished in his town. I feel as if Dorian is just a puppet throughout the story.
Basil seems to be the only pure one in the novel. He isn't bias and is able to look at things from an outside view, like the problem with Dorian. Although I think he really loved Dorian, but was afraid to admit it, so could be flawed in the fact that he's scared to be open and he was also easily controlled by Dorian.
Sibyl, I'm not sure about. I want to say she's fake because she would always call Dorian "Prince Charming." But then, she always chose love over money, but she was also very young and sometimes ignorant of the real world. She is stuck in this "Happily Ever After" world.

Dorian Gray 5

Dorian Gray has become a little Lord Harry. It is so irritating to see him become this emotionless robot. I wish Dorian would listen more to Basil. Basil, I think, represents reality. While Henry dances around the issue, always looking at what affects only himself or Dorian, Basil will tell him how it is. After Sibyl Vanes depressing suicide, Dorian didn't show much sympathy. When Basil and Dorian met up, Dorian was talking a lot more like Henry, worrying much more about himself; Basil had to slap some sense into him! He told him the reality of the situation, telling Dorian "there are horrors in store for that little white body of hers" and that he would "talk as if..[he] had no heart." Dorian continues to resist reality and will only stay superficial.

Dorian Gray 4

This "superficial theme" has been pronounced drastically in my recent reading. When Sibyl acted badly, Dorian told Sibyl that he didn't love her anymore because she wasn't the "fake" person she was before. She could no longer be "Juliet" to him, and that is why he loved her. Afterwards he wrote her a letter, feeling bad for what he admitted and planned on marrying her still. Harry, although, told him that she died. Dorian, always trusting Harry, has fallen into this superficial, emotionless trap set by Harry. Harry convinced him that her death was good because it meant that she loved him so much, that she would take her life for HIM. I found this idea very selfish, the suicide of this poor girl has become all about Dorian! Also Harry was only concerned if any of the family knew Dorians real name cause if it got out to the press, it would look bad on Dorians part.
Really Harry, really?