Well, I can honestly say I did not expect this book to end the way it did. After reading the last line I genuinely had to take a moment to compose myself. As shocking as it was, I am overall very happy with the end of The Picture of Dorian Gray. It gave me the perfect amount of closure, while still causing me to think about every aspect of the book. The only thing that I wish had been clarified was who the devil was. My suspicion still lies on Lord Henry Wotton, because of his incredibly negative influence on Dorian, but I suppose I will never really know.
So, with the conclusion of this book came my conclusion that the main themes of The Picture of Dorian Gray revolve around vanity, the value of youth and beauty, and negative influences
Vanity: Dorian's first mistake:
I'm not sure how to incomes this theme into one sentence, but vanity certainly is highlighted throughout this book. It is the source of Dorian's corruption. His obsession with his youth and appearance is what drives him to sell his soul to the devil. After that, everything he does is to please himself. He finds pleasure in material things, that are ageless and beautiful, just like himself. Wilde writes:"nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing".This highlights Dorians complete lack of regard to priceless things, like relationships. Dorian feels free of any and all social constraints, he does not care to make personal connections, and (quite brutally) ends one of his only pure relationship. Dorian is overflowing with vanity, and in the end it causes his death. This shows that one should not focus on the materialist aspects of this, i.e. appearances, money, jewels, etc. Doing so only makes one vain, and vanity only leads to further corruption.
Youth and Appearance:
Youth is something easily taken for granted, and in Dorian's case, it becomes more than that. Dorian was so desperate for youth that he gave up the one thing that make him human, his soul. By selling his soul to the devil (Harry?), Dorian paid the ultimate price. It was creepy to watch him change from a vain but innocent young man, to a (still) vain and deadly statue of his former self. Oscar Wilde put into perspective how youth is a blessing not to be taken for granted. Dorian did not cherish his youth, and in the end that is what destroyed him.
Due to his beauty Dorian was exempt from his actions. Dorian literally confesses to murdering Basil, and it is brushed aside due to peoples perception of him. It seems he was able to do anything he wanted, and no one cared because he was so attractive. Only in his death was he punished. Wilde highlights how this is the case in our society, both in the time of publication and now. People are often exempt from their wrong-doings due to looks and social status. This is encompased by the painting of Dorian. Dorian does not have to bear the consequences for any of his actions, instead they are represented on the picture.
Steer clear of bad influences:
Obviously Dorian did not avoid being negatively influenced by Lord Henry Wotton. This book shows the strong effects of negative influence, especially if you do nothing to avoid it. Dorian easily succumbed to Harry's influence, and greatly change his personality because of it. Oscar Wilde shows how you must develop yourself as an individual, and not mold your personality around others in your life, especially when it is in a negative light.
All of these themes are very relevant today. They revolve around the titled and wealthy percent of population, making Wilde's overall message aimed at wealthy upperclass citizens. The Picture of Dorian Gray highlights societies corruption, and is completely relevant even today.
This book was completely different than I expected. I dove in anticipating fantasy and magic, and found dark humor and irony. Although it was not what I though it would be, I am very happy to have read The Picture of Dorian Gray. It definitely challenged me in new ways, and introduced me to an author I greatly enjoy.
I appreciated how clearly you stated the three themes you chose to focus on. This made your post very organized and easy to understand even though I have not read the book. I like how you explained how this novel's messages are still relevant today and to what social class it most pertains to. Did you think that the more dated style of writing, using outmoded vocabulary or long descriptor sentences, was ever a hindrance to your understanding of the story?
ReplyDeleteGood question! The language definitely look some getting used to. There were definitely times that I had to reread sections multiple times, but in the end the it gave me a better appreciation for the book.
DeleteI agree with your ideas of theme and particularly liked your ideas on vanity. I was curious as to if you thought the theme of bad influence and avoiding it solely related to Harry, because I found that Dorian towards the end was the one who had the most influence on others. I was also wondering if you thought Dorian willingly sold his soul because he did not truly know what was happening until after Sybil's death, and even then he wanted it to stop.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Kendall, your analysis and support of specific themes was strong. It sounds like a critique that fits both Wilde's time period and the present. Does the novel have any religious themes or aspects going along with the devil?
ReplyDeleteDespite Wilde's use of the devil, the novel does not focus on religion as a main theme.
DeleteNice discussion of thematic ideas of the novel, as well as support of them with specifics from the book. I'm glad you enjoyed the book. Where would you see it fitting in the current curriculum of AP? Is it similar in any way to books we've read so far?
ReplyDeleteI think The Picture of Dorian Gray would help when working on literary devices, as Wilde uses many throughout the book. Although many aspects are different, I would say it is most similar to Song of Solomon, because of the good vs. evil themes and the use of magical realism.
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