Rossi, 1
Michael Rossi
March 28, 2010
Advanced Placement English - Mr. George
Morally Bankrupt
Lord Henry is unwilling to acknowledge the thread of morality as a part of the fabric in the tapestry of life.
Lord Henry is not morally neutral, but morally askew due to his responsibility for Dorian’s corruption. Lord Henry is to be held responsible for manipulating Dorian. While Dorian is a fool, someone as intelligent as Lord Henry is capable of being mindful of their audience and ought to exercise prudence. When Lord Henry advocates that Dorian, “cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul” (Wilde 189), Lord Henry is offering a tantalizing (for interpretation) concept. Dorian would naturally turn to the most obvious form of emotional suppression, drugs. Peoples’ environment must always be kept in mind. Lord Henry’s influence over Dorian is similar to the influence of father over a young child; his word is law.
Lord Henry is luring Dorian to his own grave. Each one of Lord Henry’s witticisms is a fresh pile of dirt that traps Dorian in a grave of confusion. Lord Henry’s influences over Dorian are the screws of self-destruction which found a home in the boards of Dorian’s coffin. Dorian is slowly being buried by Lord Henry’s tantalizing suggestions.
Lord Henry and Adolf Hitler both exerted their influence over a desperate group of people whom they led down the dark path to iniquity.
Rossi, 2
Works Cited
Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes and Noble, 2003.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Dorian Gray Character Description
Rossi, 1
Michael Rossi
March 28, 2010
Advanced Placement English/ Mr. George
No Love from Lady Luck
The beauty and opportunity that the world had given to Dorian proved to be a fool’s gamble.
Dorian Gray has exhibited only stupidity and imprudence with his beauty and position of aristocracy. Dorian was blessed with the opportunity of having Lord Henry around who could aid Dorian in his intellectual development. A master’s teaching is ultimately adopted or denied in relation to a student’s understanding. Dorian blindly accepted almost every word that escaped from Lord Henry’s mouth: “Pleasure is Nature’s test, her sign of approval” (Wilde 82). Dorian did not even analyze his new mantra before assimilating it into his own philosophy: “I have never searched for happiness. Who wants happiness? I have searched for pleasure” (Wilde 202). Lord Henry never acted upon his witticisms, but was rather fascinated by them in their emptiness. It was Dorian who had put this ideology to the test by lusting after opium only to brush shoulders with death.
Dorian is as worthless as a gamble. Dorian rolls the dice of destiny and blindly continues gambling away his innocence, ignorant of the fact that the three dice landed straight sixes. Dorian flushes every penny of his soul down the toilet of self-destruction and is drowned in debt. In the end, Dorian did not have enough moral capital in the bank to make a life saving withdrawal and suffered from his moral insolvency.
Dorian and Paris Hilton both abused their beauty and wealth throughout life only to lose their innocence in the process.
Rossi, 2
Works Cited
Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes and Noble, 2003.
Michael Rossi
March 28, 2010
Advanced Placement English/ Mr. George
No Love from Lady Luck
The beauty and opportunity that the world had given to Dorian proved to be a fool’s gamble.
Dorian Gray has exhibited only stupidity and imprudence with his beauty and position of aristocracy. Dorian was blessed with the opportunity of having Lord Henry around who could aid Dorian in his intellectual development. A master’s teaching is ultimately adopted or denied in relation to a student’s understanding. Dorian blindly accepted almost every word that escaped from Lord Henry’s mouth: “Pleasure is Nature’s test, her sign of approval” (Wilde 82). Dorian did not even analyze his new mantra before assimilating it into his own philosophy: “I have never searched for happiness. Who wants happiness? I have searched for pleasure” (Wilde 202). Lord Henry never acted upon his witticisms, but was rather fascinated by them in their emptiness. It was Dorian who had put this ideology to the test by lusting after opium only to brush shoulders with death.
Dorian is as worthless as a gamble. Dorian rolls the dice of destiny and blindly continues gambling away his innocence, ignorant of the fact that the three dice landed straight sixes. Dorian flushes every penny of his soul down the toilet of self-destruction and is drowned in debt. In the end, Dorian did not have enough moral capital in the bank to make a life saving withdrawal and suffered from his moral insolvency.
Dorian and Paris Hilton both abused their beauty and wealth throughout life only to lose their innocence in the process.
Rossi, 2
Works Cited
Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes and Noble, 2003.
Witticisms
Rossi, 1
Michael Rossi
March 28, 2010
Advanced Placement English/ Mr. George
Witticisms
1: Emptying a woman’s mind of all suffering, results in the emptying of a husband’s pockets.
2: I will not stand for women’s suffering, so let us not give them suffrage.
3: A servant is the best kind of friend. A normal friend will support you as you carry life’s burdens, while a servant will carry them for you.
4: I do not participate in sports because I am an excellent critic.
5: You say Dorian fell into moral darkness, but perhaps he never fell. He remained true to himself no matter what personality he wore.
6: Do I blame God for suffering? Of course I do not. I am a tad perturbed, that he refuses to
reveal himself to me, but since he does not exist I cannot blame him. Do you ask a ghost to come out of the closet?
7: Faith (in God) is the chain and lock that binds a life of intellectual growth. Thoughts are the key that shatter God’s shackles.
8: Learning English does not birth new knowledge. It simply teaches one to read what life has already written.
9: My synapses demonstrate their fitness as I turn lap after lap while your synapses exhaust themselves just stretching.
10: My wife looked forward to marriage because she looked forward to continuing her intellectual exploration of me, little did she know I looked forward to marriage under the impression that such development would stop.
Rossi, 2
Works Cited
Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes and Noble, 2003.
Michael Rossi
March 28, 2010
Advanced Placement English/ Mr. George
Witticisms
1: Emptying a woman’s mind of all suffering, results in the emptying of a husband’s pockets.
2: I will not stand for women’s suffering, so let us not give them suffrage.
3: A servant is the best kind of friend. A normal friend will support you as you carry life’s burdens, while a servant will carry them for you.
4: I do not participate in sports because I am an excellent critic.
5: You say Dorian fell into moral darkness, but perhaps he never fell. He remained true to himself no matter what personality he wore.
6: Do I blame God for suffering? Of course I do not. I am a tad perturbed, that he refuses to
reveal himself to me, but since he does not exist I cannot blame him. Do you ask a ghost to come out of the closet?
7: Faith (in God) is the chain and lock that binds a life of intellectual growth. Thoughts are the key that shatter God’s shackles.
8: Learning English does not birth new knowledge. It simply teaches one to read what life has already written.
9: My synapses demonstrate their fitness as I turn lap after lap while your synapses exhaust themselves just stretching.
10: My wife looked forward to marriage because she looked forward to continuing her intellectual exploration of me, little did she know I looked forward to marriage under the impression that such development would stop.
Rossi, 2
Works Cited
Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes and Noble, 2003.
Friday, March 26, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapters 19-20
"' But then one regrets the loss even of one's worst habits. Perhaps one regrets them the most. They are such an essential part of one's personality.' " (Wilde 218).
A renowned, ancient Chinese proverb claims that once one stops changing one start to die. A goal of life ought to be chronic self improvement. Once one is able to realize their poor attributes and accepts them, one is taking the first steps to iniquity. This is so because if one accepts a single vice,(which will lead to sin) then one learn to accept sin as a value effectively stripping one of any sense of morality. If one does not realize his sin it may be to quiet a thing to realize, like a cancer withering away at one's core. If one realizes one's sin only to thumb one's nose at change, it is like one simply refusing to step off train tracks. It is a small way to avoid a large problem. The train tracks of iniquity mark the path upon which one must step out of if they wish to avoid the sin steaming and chugging down hell's tracks.
"It would kill the past, and when that was dead he would be free. It would kill this monstrous soul-life, and without its hideous warning he would be at peace. He seized the thing, and stabbed the picture with it"
Throughout Dorian's life he dealt with an affliction of the soul. Since confession was out of the question for Dorian, he need a way to cope with his withering soul. He needed, " 'To cure the soul by means of the senses ' " (Wilde 189). In his past, Dorian simply refused to acknowledge his sins for repentance. Rather than acknowledge and atone for his sins throughout his life, he waited for a single moment to soak in the acidic liquid of sin. The sponge of Dorian's mind was useless when tainted by such a toxic chemical and Dorian realized it need to be wrung dry. No drug on earth could suffice to appease one so emotionally distraught. Through death did Dorian no longer have to worry about stimulating his senses. Instead he destroyed them entirely.
A renowned, ancient Chinese proverb claims that once one stops changing one start to die. A goal of life ought to be chronic self improvement. Once one is able to realize their poor attributes and accepts them, one is taking the first steps to iniquity. This is so because if one accepts a single vice,(which will lead to sin) then one learn to accept sin as a value effectively stripping one of any sense of morality. If one does not realize his sin it may be to quiet a thing to realize, like a cancer withering away at one's core. If one realizes one's sin only to thumb one's nose at change, it is like one simply refusing to step off train tracks. It is a small way to avoid a large problem. The train tracks of iniquity mark the path upon which one must step out of if they wish to avoid the sin steaming and chugging down hell's tracks.
"It would kill the past, and when that was dead he would be free. It would kill this monstrous soul-life, and without its hideous warning he would be at peace. He seized the thing, and stabbed the picture with it"
Throughout Dorian's life he dealt with an affliction of the soul. Since confession was out of the question for Dorian, he need a way to cope with his withering soul. He needed, " 'To cure the soul by means of the senses ' " (Wilde 189). In his past, Dorian simply refused to acknowledge his sins for repentance. Rather than acknowledge and atone for his sins throughout his life, he waited for a single moment to soak in the acidic liquid of sin. The sponge of Dorian's mind was useless when tainted by such a toxic chemical and Dorian realized it need to be wrung dry. No drug on earth could suffice to appease one so emotionally distraught. Through death did Dorian no longer have to worry about stimulating his senses. Instead he destroyed them entirely.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 16-18
" 'To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul' : [...] "The hideous hunger for opium began to gnaw at him" (Wilde 189-190).
Intoxication often expedites the path to hell especially if one is already treading its way. In the Homer's Odyssey Odysseus encountered a island of lotus eaters where many people fell to its seductive grasp never to leave the island. Opium is a example of a present-day lotus eater. Dorian tries to cure worldly problems. Drugs only blind one to chronic problems, poisoning them. Yet, Dorian surrendered to his poor judgement and wanted an over stimulation of the senses only to meet another broken soul (James Vane) who had almost taken his life. Life is a workout. In order to become stronger, one must climb the stairs of life and not take opium's elevator for weak muscles and a quick high.
" ' I have never searched for happiness. Who wants happiness? I have searched for pleasure. ' " (Wilde 202).
Life is a gift. The bows of life's high points produce a smile of satisfaction when looked upon its aesthetic pleasure. Dorian claims that he replaces happiness with pleasure. Pleasure is immediate gratification and must be repeated. Happiness is a complex conglomerate of emotions converging upon the overarching disposition of one's life. Replacing a long term, deep happiness with short-lived pleasure is like using a relationship with a partner for sexual intercourse rather than mutual growth. One will leave one satisfied for a life-time, while another will satisfy someone for the afternoon and harm them later. Drugs are the step in which Dorian turns to in order to stimulate his pleasure. In the long run, his body will exhibit adverse consequences to his short sighted attempts to remedy life, ultimately expediting his death. The wrapping papers of pleasure are not enough to substantiate the gift of life made whole by the present of happiness beneath the thin layer of pleasure.
Intoxication often expedites the path to hell especially if one is already treading its way. In the Homer's Odyssey Odysseus encountered a island of lotus eaters where many people fell to its seductive grasp never to leave the island. Opium is a example of a present-day lotus eater. Dorian tries to cure worldly problems. Drugs only blind one to chronic problems, poisoning them. Yet, Dorian surrendered to his poor judgement and wanted an over stimulation of the senses only to meet another broken soul (James Vane) who had almost taken his life. Life is a workout. In order to become stronger, one must climb the stairs of life and not take opium's elevator for weak muscles and a quick high.
" ' I have never searched for happiness. Who wants happiness? I have searched for pleasure. ' " (Wilde 202).
Life is a gift. The bows of life's high points produce a smile of satisfaction when looked upon its aesthetic pleasure. Dorian claims that he replaces happiness with pleasure. Pleasure is immediate gratification and must be repeated. Happiness is a complex conglomerate of emotions converging upon the overarching disposition of one's life. Replacing a long term, deep happiness with short-lived pleasure is like using a relationship with a partner for sexual intercourse rather than mutual growth. One will leave one satisfied for a life-time, while another will satisfy someone for the afternoon and harm them later. Drugs are the step in which Dorian turns to in order to stimulate his pleasure. In the long run, his body will exhibit adverse consequences to his short sighted attempts to remedy life, ultimately expediting his death. The wrapping papers of pleasure are not enough to substantiate the gift of life made whole by the present of happiness beneath the thin layer of pleasure.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 15
" 'A Man can be happy with any woman, as long as he does not love her' " (Wilde 184).
The rejection of love is the exact reason that Lord Henry cannot find happiness in marriage. Overcoming difficult internal obstacles yield far greater internal rewards, then simple ones. Lord Henry does not acknowledge that the goal of marriage should be love. Instead Lord Henry strives to resist love. The rejection of love is emblematic of the rejection of goals. Lord Henry has no goals so he cannot be disappointed. It is a juvenile psychological coping mechanism, that stems from a low self esteem. The thick shell of Lord Henry's feinged indifferance indicates a fear of being cracked.
"How inquisitive you are, Harry! You always want to know what one has been doing". (Wilde 186).
Dorian has been wary of Lord Henry's ever prying eyes. Dorian has not been talking to Lord Henry as frequentely ever since Dorian has acknowledge Lord Henry's influence. Dorian has effectively disconnected the communication's lines with which they have been speaking. Dorian is been expedentally selective with the information which he shares with Lord Henry. The problem is that Dorian is blaming Lord Henry for the disconnect. This situation shares many parallels with a child who becomes flustered at a parent who beset them with insistent request as to what they will be doing. In the child's eyes, the trust he believes that his parents hold for him would be questioned. In actuallity, the parents have to infer upon the side of their child which the child had not selected to show to them. The flame of Dorian's anger blames the kindling of Lord Henry questioning for the fire, which Dorian himself hadresolved to start.
The rejection of love is the exact reason that Lord Henry cannot find happiness in marriage. Overcoming difficult internal obstacles yield far greater internal rewards, then simple ones. Lord Henry does not acknowledge that the goal of marriage should be love. Instead Lord Henry strives to resist love. The rejection of love is emblematic of the rejection of goals. Lord Henry has no goals so he cannot be disappointed. It is a juvenile psychological coping mechanism, that stems from a low self esteem. The thick shell of Lord Henry's feinged indifferance indicates a fear of being cracked.
"How inquisitive you are, Harry! You always want to know what one has been doing". (Wilde 186).
Dorian has been wary of Lord Henry's ever prying eyes. Dorian has not been talking to Lord Henry as frequentely ever since Dorian has acknowledge Lord Henry's influence. Dorian has effectively disconnected the communication's lines with which they have been speaking. Dorian is been expedentally selective with the information which he shares with Lord Henry. The problem is that Dorian is blaming Lord Henry for the disconnect. This situation shares many parallels with a child who becomes flustered at a parent who beset them with insistent request as to what they will be doing. In the child's eyes, the trust he believes that his parents hold for him would be questioned. In actuallity, the parents have to infer upon the side of their child which the child had not selected to show to them. The flame of Dorian's anger blames the kindling of Lord Henry questioning for the fire, which Dorian himself hadresolved to start.
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 14
"But youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms" (Wilde 166).
The youth's glimmering smiles belie a suppressed emotions. One does not smile out of instinct, but out of an emotion. If friends or family members see a loved one smiling it could never hurt as to inquire why, because it may be for a dangerous reason. In Dorian's case, an aimless smile was a hysterical smile which foreshadowed the destruction of Basil's corpse upstairs. Psychologically sound individuals often have little difficulty expressing their emotions. Stress ventilation is extremely important in some way. If one cannot displace their thoughts they are destined to think inwardly about them and eventually act upon them. Dorian does not have anyone with which he can freely and safely relate his feelings. Basil does not want to believe Doriah's poor qualities while Lord Henry simply hear everything through policital ears in which he wishes to gain control of the inter workings of Dorian's mind. Expression is the water of an intellect with constant thirst. Allow the lack of expression to continue and the tendrils of the mind will whither and die.
"Poor Basil! What a horrible way for a man to die!" (Wilde 169).
Haphazard ideology is the cancer of society. If everyone in modern day society lived life as Dorian does, the world would be a perfectly dis-topic. Dorian apologizes and retreats from his own thoughts and will not confess to his crimes. In the Middle East, war is difficult because the United States has difficulty identifying and locating its enemies. When there was a military to face the United States quickly defeated its enemies in the coalition of the willing. Now war is more difficult because we are not fighting organized ranks of men, but a concept of anarchy and hatred hiding under the skirts of the average citizen. In the same way, Dorian would be easier to stop if he was open about crimes and not cower before the punishment. If the waters of duplicity ran as fiercely through the rivers of society as much as they do Dorian, then the world is doomed (with no one to blame).
The youth's glimmering smiles belie a suppressed emotions. One does not smile out of instinct, but out of an emotion. If friends or family members see a loved one smiling it could never hurt as to inquire why, because it may be for a dangerous reason. In Dorian's case, an aimless smile was a hysterical smile which foreshadowed the destruction of Basil's corpse upstairs. Psychologically sound individuals often have little difficulty expressing their emotions. Stress ventilation is extremely important in some way. If one cannot displace their thoughts they are destined to think inwardly about them and eventually act upon them. Dorian does not have anyone with which he can freely and safely relate his feelings. Basil does not want to believe Doriah's poor qualities while Lord Henry simply hear everything through policital ears in which he wishes to gain control of the inter workings of Dorian's mind. Expression is the water of an intellect with constant thirst. Allow the lack of expression to continue and the tendrils of the mind will whither and die.
"Poor Basil! What a horrible way for a man to die!" (Wilde 169).
Haphazard ideology is the cancer of society. If everyone in modern day society lived life as Dorian does, the world would be a perfectly dis-topic. Dorian apologizes and retreats from his own thoughts and will not confess to his crimes. In the Middle East, war is difficult because the United States has difficulty identifying and locating its enemies. When there was a military to face the United States quickly defeated its enemies in the coalition of the willing. Now war is more difficult because we are not fighting organized ranks of men, but a concept of anarchy and hatred hiding under the skirts of the average citizen. In the same way, Dorian would be easier to stop if he was open about crimes and not cower before the punishment. If the waters of duplicity ran as fiercely through the rivers of society as much as they do Dorian, then the world is doomed (with no one to blame).
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapters 13-14
"The wind had blown the fog away, and the sky was like a monstrous peacock's tail, starred with myriads of golden eyes" (Wilde 163).
The fog is a metaphor for the discrepancy in Dorian's actions. He berated Sibyl Vane to the point where she took her life. He then decides to make amends for his scoldings by writing her an apology letter. Early on, Dorian fluctuated between darkness and light as frequently as the moon changes the tides. Ultimately, it was Basil who kept the tide of Dorian's emotions receding towards goodness while Lord Henry had his emotions flow towards evil. Dorian's fancy towards lord Henry whipped up an evil storm that is sure to have devastating consequences. Now that Basil has been murdered, there is no one who can keep Dorian's emotional tides at bay.
"No! don't think of that. Look at the matter purely from the scientific point of view" (Wilde 174).
Dorian flaunts his stupidity by exhibiting a misunderstanding of science. In humanity's very nature we are bound to question life. The very definition of science is the separation between knowledge and ignorance.The Scientific point of view entails the exploration of all the matters of an issue. For years Scientists believed that there was no definitive maximum speed in the universe. Albert Einstein set them straight. Einstein demonstrated that time is in fact relative. In his younger years (on route to work), Einstein, while riding a train, wondered if light reached if time was relative. Einstein taught that time is relative to the speed in which one moves. Nothing is truly at rest unless they are at rest relative to another object. What this means is that the concept of time as humanity knew it, was merely an illusion. Asking a scientist to employ science and not to analyze is like shooting someone at point blank range with a shot gun and asking them not to die. The request is unnatural and utterly ridiculous. In the sense of the definition, Dorian did help the reader experiment with the definition by helping them to organize Dorian into the ignorant section.
The fog is a metaphor for the discrepancy in Dorian's actions. He berated Sibyl Vane to the point where she took her life. He then decides to make amends for his scoldings by writing her an apology letter. Early on, Dorian fluctuated between darkness and light as frequently as the moon changes the tides. Ultimately, it was Basil who kept the tide of Dorian's emotions receding towards goodness while Lord Henry had his emotions flow towards evil. Dorian's fancy towards lord Henry whipped up an evil storm that is sure to have devastating consequences. Now that Basil has been murdered, there is no one who can keep Dorian's emotional tides at bay.
"No! don't think of that. Look at the matter purely from the scientific point of view" (Wilde 174).
Dorian flaunts his stupidity by exhibiting a misunderstanding of science. In humanity's very nature we are bound to question life. The very definition of science is the separation between knowledge and ignorance.The Scientific point of view entails the exploration of all the matters of an issue. For years Scientists believed that there was no definitive maximum speed in the universe. Albert Einstein set them straight. Einstein demonstrated that time is in fact relative. In his younger years (on route to work), Einstein, while riding a train, wondered if light reached if time was relative. Einstein taught that time is relative to the speed in which one moves. Nothing is truly at rest unless they are at rest relative to another object. What this means is that the concept of time as humanity knew it, was merely an illusion. Asking a scientist to employ science and not to analyze is like shooting someone at point blank range with a shot gun and asking them not to die. The request is unnatural and utterly ridiculous. In the sense of the definition, Dorian did help the reader experiment with the definition by helping them to organize Dorian into the ignorant section.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapters 11-12
"It was rumored of him once that he was about to join the Roman Catholic communion; and certainly the Roman ritual had always a great attraction for him. The daily sacrifice,more awful really than all the sacrifices of the antique world," (Wilde 135).
The artists and sculptors who crafted Catholic art did not do so so others would worship what the statue looks like, but what the figure represents. Dorian wish join Catholicism because of sheer aesthetic pleasure is almost feral. Wishing to be a part Catholicism automatically evokes the endorsement of the message that it is trying to proclaim. Dorian's whimsy demonstrates his inability to bear true artistic wisdom. Catholic art is based on the advocation of morals, while Dorian embodies the artistic uselessness that Wilde proclaimed in his preface. Dorian's tanning rays of aesthetic acceptance externally beautify the body of Catholicism, unaware of the sheer cancerous malignancy being embedded in the core of its message.
"Dorian 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" (Wilde 150).
Art is aesthetic work which exceeds ordinary significance. The intentionality of the artist is factored into the value of art. Lord Henry's book was not given out of the hopes to artistically inspire Dorian but to control him. People may say that it is Dorian who makes the decision to act upon Lord Henry's influences, but it is Lord Henry who realizes the damage that the book will cause Dorian. Lord Henry's values are the hunger that Drives Dorian to indulge himself in every fantasy that his mind fabricates. Humanity extends its hands to accept art. It is the hot whips of evil that that burn art into an elusive vapor that flees from humanity's grip. One cannot appreciate the last glimpse of art as they are distracted by Lord Henry cynically clutching a match.
The artists and sculptors who crafted Catholic art did not do so so others would worship what the statue looks like, but what the figure represents. Dorian wish join Catholicism because of sheer aesthetic pleasure is almost feral. Wishing to be a part Catholicism automatically evokes the endorsement of the message that it is trying to proclaim. Dorian's whimsy demonstrates his inability to bear true artistic wisdom. Catholic art is based on the advocation of morals, while Dorian embodies the artistic uselessness that Wilde proclaimed in his preface. Dorian's tanning rays of aesthetic acceptance externally beautify the body of Catholicism, unaware of the sheer cancerous malignancy being embedded in the core of its message.
"Dorian 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" (Wilde 150).
Art is aesthetic work which exceeds ordinary significance. The intentionality of the artist is factored into the value of art. Lord Henry's book was not given out of the hopes to artistically inspire Dorian but to control him. People may say that it is Dorian who makes the decision to act upon Lord Henry's influences, but it is Lord Henry who realizes the damage that the book will cause Dorian. Lord Henry's values are the hunger that Drives Dorian to indulge himself in every fantasy that his mind fabricates. Humanity extends its hands to accept art. It is the hot whips of evil that that burn art into an elusive vapor that flees from humanity's grip. One cannot appreciate the last glimpse of art as they are distracted by Lord Henry cynically clutching a match.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapters 9-10
"Don't leave me, Basil, and don't quarrel with me. I am what I am. There is nothing more to be said" (114).
I am what I am. That is quite an interesting way to make a defense. Dorian implores Basil to ignore his actions and blindly accept him? Doing what Dorian asks will afflict Basil with the mark of a disloyal friend. An individual's identity is constantly changing. An ancient Chinese proverb (with no definitive author) once said that once one stops changing, they start dying. This could not be closer to the truth. An ideal friend would actively pursue the goodness in another, regardless of the personal risk. Imagine if the parchment of Dorian's philosophy was woven into the bills of legislation that is issued by our modern day government. The government could hostilely strip America of its rights, leaving our civil bodies exposed and open to abuse. The violation of our rights could be justified under the farce that government is taking the necessary steps in order to preserve its identity.
"His own soul was looking out at him from the canvas and calling him to judgement. A look of pain came across him and he flung the rich pall over the picture" (123).
The author makes the role of Basil's painting remarkably similar to the role of one's conscience (which is to act as an internal system for determining right and wrong). One's conscience screams like a banshee whenever an objectively wrong act is committed. The deafening blast is inescapable regardless of apathy's earplugs that vainly struggle to quell the noise. Dorian's conscience was replaced by a visual personification of his actions. Rather than constantly clench his ears in the hopes of drowning out his guilt he moves the source of his problems into the virtually soundproof realm of his old playroom. One's conscience calls from deep within us, immune to all riddance. Even if Dorian did not stow the painting away, but use it like a conscience, he could only reference the painting after he has committed the act. Dorian can only hear the echoes of the painting while his dead conscience screams in silence.
I am what I am. That is quite an interesting way to make a defense. Dorian implores Basil to ignore his actions and blindly accept him? Doing what Dorian asks will afflict Basil with the mark of a disloyal friend. An individual's identity is constantly changing. An ancient Chinese proverb (with no definitive author) once said that once one stops changing, they start dying. This could not be closer to the truth. An ideal friend would actively pursue the goodness in another, regardless of the personal risk. Imagine if the parchment of Dorian's philosophy was woven into the bills of legislation that is issued by our modern day government. The government could hostilely strip America of its rights, leaving our civil bodies exposed and open to abuse. The violation of our rights could be justified under the farce that government is taking the necessary steps in order to preserve its identity.
"His own soul was looking out at him from the canvas and calling him to judgement. A look of pain came across him and he flung the rich pall over the picture" (123).
The author makes the role of Basil's painting remarkably similar to the role of one's conscience (which is to act as an internal system for determining right and wrong). One's conscience screams like a banshee whenever an objectively wrong act is committed. The deafening blast is inescapable regardless of apathy's earplugs that vainly struggle to quell the noise. Dorian's conscience was replaced by a visual personification of his actions. Rather than constantly clench his ears in the hopes of drowning out his guilt he moves the source of his problems into the virtually soundproof realm of his old playroom. One's conscience calls from deep within us, immune to all riddance. Even if Dorian did not stow the painting away, but use it like a conscience, he could only reference the painting after he has committed the act. Dorian can only hear the echoes of the painting while his dead conscience screams in silence.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 7-8
"The picture had not changed. It was a folly to think so" (Wilde 96).
The art itself did not change. It was Dorian's perception of art that was warped. When most people think of art, they think of an abstract criteria that man's aesthetic creations meet. Early in the text Dorian blindly accepts everything he is told and is happy. Now that Dorian has tried to uphold a certain criteria for art, his innocence has vanished. Originally Dorian consumed all beauty as artistic rendition. Now Dorian accepted very little and is beginning to starve his conscience of objective goodness.
"When we blame ourselves we feel that no one else has the right to blame us. It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution" (Wilde 100).
In The Crucible, the townspeople made the fatal error of valuing the publicity of a confession over its purpose to cleanse sins. This has existed as a serious problem for the haughty man in the bible to the haughty ones in the white house. The Speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi frequently spends large sums of tax payer dollars on military transportation and airline luxuries. The Military she used cost about sixty thousand dollars one-way. Some politicians pretend to carry a tired America on the backs of outward charity. They pat us on the leg with their promises of change, but when the burden becomes a tad difficult, America is abandoned only to find a violated pocket of American trust and the absence of the wallet of taxpayer dollars.
The art itself did not change. It was Dorian's perception of art that was warped. When most people think of art, they think of an abstract criteria that man's aesthetic creations meet. Early in the text Dorian blindly accepts everything he is told and is happy. Now that Dorian has tried to uphold a certain criteria for art, his innocence has vanished. Originally Dorian consumed all beauty as artistic rendition. Now Dorian accepted very little and is beginning to starve his conscience of objective goodness.
"When we blame ourselves we feel that no one else has the right to blame us. It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution" (Wilde 100).
In The Crucible, the townspeople made the fatal error of valuing the publicity of a confession over its purpose to cleanse sins. This has existed as a serious problem for the haughty man in the bible to the haughty ones in the white house. The Speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi frequently spends large sums of tax payer dollars on military transportation and airline luxuries. The Military she used cost about sixty thousand dollars one-way. Some politicians pretend to carry a tired America on the backs of outward charity. They pat us on the leg with their promises of change, but when the burden becomes a tad difficult, America is abandoned only to find a violated pocket of American trust and the absence of the wallet of taxpayer dollars.
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 4
1)"You will always be loved, and you will always be in love with love" (Wilde 53).
This statement bears a strong parallel to the pointlessness of some analysis pointed out in the Abolition of man. C.S. Lewis claimed that a waterfall can be objectively
sublime. Gaius and Titius falsely purported that the waterfall was not sublime, but that the description was speaking towards the speakers own feelings. In the same way, one cannot be in love with love. The impetuous for love is the feelings towards another human. One may say that another is simply in love with those feelings, but in doing so one rejects the idea of love as a concept of selfless devotion and ineffable feelings of attraction. In doing so, one's entire basis for argument is striped from under his feet.
2)"You said to me once that pathos left you unmoved, but that beauty, mere beauty, could fill your eyes with tears" (Wilde 54).
Dorian and Harry both have trouble seeing things clearly. Dorian blindly accepts anything that appeals to him by its face value. Harry on the other hand, accepts nothing. Dorian cannot see through deception while Harry can see nothing but deception. The concept of Wilde's personality division within his characters is brazenly obvious and is once again demonstrated within the text. What makes this example, stand out is the fact that Dorian remarks upon Harry's views this time. Dorian is demonstrating growth towards his intellectual side. It leads the reader to believe that perhaps Dorian may be a dynamic character in the making. If Dorian can stay on the path of intellectual growth, he will be able to equip the eyeglasses analysis that will help to open his eyes to potential deception coming from his two closest friends. If Dorian regresses back towards his stupidity he will not be gifted with the clarity to prevent him from walking headfirst into a wall of deception.
This statement bears a strong parallel to the pointlessness of some analysis pointed out in the Abolition of man. C.S. Lewis claimed that a waterfall can be objectively
sublime. Gaius and Titius falsely purported that the waterfall was not sublime, but that the description was speaking towards the speakers own feelings. In the same way, one cannot be in love with love. The impetuous for love is the feelings towards another human. One may say that another is simply in love with those feelings, but in doing so one rejects the idea of love as a concept of selfless devotion and ineffable feelings of attraction. In doing so, one's entire basis for argument is striped from under his feet.
2)"You said to me once that pathos left you unmoved, but that beauty, mere beauty, could fill your eyes with tears" (Wilde 54).
Dorian and Harry both have trouble seeing things clearly. Dorian blindly accepts anything that appeals to him by its face value. Harry on the other hand, accepts nothing. Dorian cannot see through deception while Harry can see nothing but deception. The concept of Wilde's personality division within his characters is brazenly obvious and is once again demonstrated within the text. What makes this example, stand out is the fact that Dorian remarks upon Harry's views this time. Dorian is demonstrating growth towards his intellectual side. It leads the reader to believe that perhaps Dorian may be a dynamic character in the making. If Dorian can stay on the path of intellectual growth, he will be able to equip the eyeglasses analysis that will help to open his eyes to potential deception coming from his two closest friends. If Dorian regresses back towards his stupidity he will not be gifted with the clarity to prevent him from walking headfirst into a wall of deception.
Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 3
1)"What a pity it was that such beauty was destined to fade!" (Wilde 39).
Lord Henry is highly proficient in offering subjective conjectures that he does not necessarily believes. Psychologically, this is emblematic of a fear of intimacy. If one never speaks, no one can ever learn one's true thoughts. Similarly, if one is constantly speaking and they may say things that they do not believe, then how is one supposed to determine what the speaker truly believes? Basil, Lord Henry, and Dorian each represent individual parts of Oscar Wilde. Lord Henry happens to embody the insecurity of the intellectual part of him that is so lost in the woods of thought that he can never find action. This novel is a large wood where Wilde is hiding, confusing us with paradoxes and enthralling us with romance. It is only after the fires of clarity burn through Widle's the thicket of deception that the Wilde has beset us through his quirky set of characters.
2)"If the caveman had known how to laugh, History would have been different" (Wilde 44)
In societies all across the endless spectrum of history, stress has been chronic. Stress is chronic on a personal as well as a social level. On a personal level there are hobbies and other forms of methods that can help displace one's stress. For a society prayer and faith are two components that people have heavily relied on in order to alleviate stress. Personal distractions bring about an apathy towards the object of stress while religion claims that stress will be rewarded in the afterlife. These methods of stress relief (or others similar to them) and crucial to a society, however they pale in comparison to humor. Laughter (in the form of mentally sane humor) is the perfect method of coping. Laughter only exists in short blips that kicks stress down to a tolerable level. Also, without laughter, apathy and religion are worthless. If apathy is always called upon, one may come to habitually lose sight of one's problem's. If one only focuses in a strict religious manner, then radical groups develop. Look to our enemies in the middle east. The terrorist organizations put worldly emotions so out of sight that they have abandoned all laughter,save for one derived almost entirely from cynical hysteria.
Lord Henry is highly proficient in offering subjective conjectures that he does not necessarily believes. Psychologically, this is emblematic of a fear of intimacy. If one never speaks, no one can ever learn one's true thoughts. Similarly, if one is constantly speaking and they may say things that they do not believe, then how is one supposed to determine what the speaker truly believes? Basil, Lord Henry, and Dorian each represent individual parts of Oscar Wilde. Lord Henry happens to embody the insecurity of the intellectual part of him that is so lost in the woods of thought that he can never find action. This novel is a large wood where Wilde is hiding, confusing us with paradoxes and enthralling us with romance. It is only after the fires of clarity burn through Widle's the thicket of deception that the Wilde has beset us through his quirky set of characters.
2)"If the caveman had known how to laugh, History would have been different" (Wilde 44)
In societies all across the endless spectrum of history, stress has been chronic. Stress is chronic on a personal as well as a social level. On a personal level there are hobbies and other forms of methods that can help displace one's stress. For a society prayer and faith are two components that people have heavily relied on in order to alleviate stress. Personal distractions bring about an apathy towards the object of stress while religion claims that stress will be rewarded in the afterlife. These methods of stress relief (or others similar to them) and crucial to a society, however they pale in comparison to humor. Laughter (in the form of mentally sane humor) is the perfect method of coping. Laughter only exists in short blips that kicks stress down to a tolerable level. Also, without laughter, apathy and religion are worthless. If apathy is always called upon, one may come to habitually lose sight of one's problem's. If one only focuses in a strict religious manner, then radical groups develop. Look to our enemies in the middle east. The terrorist organizations put worldly emotions so out of sight that they have abandoned all laughter,save for one derived almost entirely from cynical hysteria.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray chapters 1-2, 1 blog
"Now the value of idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it. Indeed, the probabilities are that the more insincere the man is, the more purely intellectual will the idea be," (Wilde 11).
This statement is the art that Wilde referred to in the Preface. Statements,ought to be appreciated for their objective value. They ought not to be ignored because of their questionable source. The infamous artist Vincent van Gogh, produced a plethora of artistic masterpieces. He was emotionally and intellectually distraught in such a way that he sliced off his own ear and sent it to his girlfriend. On a personal level many critics laughed at his lunacy, however history has made a joke out of them. Van Gogh's Starry Night is one of the most valuable paintings on earth, in spite of his peculiarity. In retrospect, Van Gogh's insanity is, but a hint of dust on one of the stars in the Starry Night. Its unimportance remains unseen to the preoccupied eyes of the awestruck museum-goer.
This statement is the art that Wilde referred to in the Preface. Statements,ought to be appreciated for their objective value. They ought not to be ignored because of their questionable source. The infamous artist Vincent van Gogh, produced a plethora of artistic masterpieces. He was emotionally and intellectually distraught in such a way that he sliced off his own ear and sent it to his girlfriend. On a personal level many critics laughed at his lunacy, however history has made a joke out of them. Van Gogh's Starry Night is one of the most valuable paintings on earth, in spite of his peculiarity. In retrospect, Van Gogh's insanity is, but a hint of dust on one of the stars in the Starry Night. Its unimportance remains unseen to the preoccupied eyes of the awestruck museum-goer.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Picture of Dorian Gray -Preface Analysis-
Wilde utilizes the artist as a metaphor for all people and art as a metaphor for all action. Happiness and sadness can be viewed as metaphors for right and wrong in terms of morality. Wilde claims that, "No artist is ever morbid" (Wilde 1). When this viewed metaphorically, Wilde is claiming that no person is ever wrong. Wilde is using the analogy of art and artists to plead ethical relativism. Through his metaphors Wilde claims that actions are simply actions and they cannot be judged objectively, but subjectively depending on the critique. Wilde claims, "All art is quite useless" (Wilde 2). In other words, morality is useless, the words of a true ethical relativist.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
