Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Chapter 4-7 (The Picture Of Dorian Gray)

CHAPTER 4
Dorian spends much of his time with Lord Henry, who manipulates Dorian's mind with his philosphy of subjects such as marriage, women, and fidelity. Dorian reveals his infatuation with Sibyl Vane, and actress. Dorian distances himself more from Basil.

Comprehension Check Questions:
Who is Victoria?
Victoria is Lord Henry's wife.

How would you characterize Sibyl Vane?
I'd characterize her as young, naive, and innocent.

How/Where did she meet Dorian?
She meets Dorian where at the theater she's performing.

What does she call Dorian?
She calls him her Prince Charming.

How long do they know each other in the story so far?
So far they've known each other for three weeks.

Critical Thinking:
Examine the relationship between Lord Henry and His wife Victoria and compare with the relationship between Lord Henry and Dorian.
Lord Henry & his wife don't lead a normal married life. They see each other when they have time and they lie about their whereabouts. Lord Henry and Dorian see each other more than Lord Henry and his wife. They spend most of their days together discussing stuff. I'd think Lord Henry was more attracted to Dorian than Victoria, maybe not sexually but emotionally.

How does Lord Henry feels about the relationship between Dorian and Sibyl?
Of course Lord Henry doesn't approve of the relationship. Everything Dorian says about his relationship and love, he just responds with one of his smart ass comebacks.

Analyze Lord Henry's view of women, men and fidelity.
Lord Henry sees women as inferior to men. When he talks about women he degrades them and mocks them. He fancies men more of course. They are superior to women (so he claims).

Analyze the change in the relationship between Dorian and Basil.
Dorian traded in Basil for Lord Henry. He spends most of his days with Lord Henry rather than Basil.

Research and Correlate the Allusions with Dorian Gray:
Philistine
Giordano Bruno
daughter of Cymbeline from Shakespeare's Cymbeline (you do not have to research this).

Free Write the Prediction: How will Dorian's engagement to Sibyl change his relationship with Lord Henry?
I think Dorian would probably stop seeing Lord Henry because they both have different beliefs in love and relationships and Lord Henry's beliefs might bother Dorian.

Literary Elements: Metaphor-people like Dorian: willful sunbeams of life.
Personification: Soul, Desire.

VOCABULARY
aphorisms-A tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage
munificent-extremely liberal in giving; very generous
consummate-to bring to a state of perfection; fulfill.
crucible- a container of metal or refractory material employed for heating substances to high temperatures.
turbid- not clear or transparent because of stirred-up sediment or the like; clouded; opaque; obscured
animalism-preoccupation with or motivation by sensual, physical, or carnal appetites rather than moral, spiritual, or intellectual forces.

CHAPTER 5
Sibyl, her mother, Mrs. Vane, and James (Jim), Sibyl's brother, discuss her relationship with Dorian Gray, whom Sibyl calls Prince Charming. Jim, who tenderly loves Sibyl, cautions their mother to guard Sibyl, and vows to kill anyone who harms her.

Comprehension Check Questions:

How old is Sibyl?
Sibyl is seventeen.

Mrs. Vane has a secret heartache about ____?
-

Who is Mr. Isaacs?
Mr. Isaacs lends Sibyl's family money to pay off their debt.

How old is Jim?
Jim is one year younger, which means he's sixteen.

Where is he going and why is he leaving his family?
He's going to Australia to make more money and get them out of debt.

DISCUSSION/ CRITICAL QUESTIONS:

Identify members of Sibyl Vane's family and analyze their interrelationships.
Sibyl, Sibyl's Mom, and Jim. Sibyl loves both her mother and brother. Jim is overprotective about Sibyl. Mrs. Vane wants to be out of debt.

What are the various reactions of Sibyl, Mrs. Vane, and Jim toward Dorian?
Sibyl is in love with Dorian so nothing can change her mind, even when her family questions her about him. Jim doesn't approve of their relationship because he's overprotective and smells something fishy. Mrs. Vane is interested in Dorian because she thinks he has money and she wants out of debt.

Why does it seems like Sibyl feels unworthy of Dorian?
Sibyl feels she is unworthy of Dorian because of his beauty.

What is the main concern of Mrs. Vane? Is there anything Ironic about her feelings?
Mrs. Vane is mostly concerned about his money status.

Discuss Jim's feelings in regards to Dorian?
Jim being the overprotective brother he is, doesn't approve of Dorian. He feels he's being fake and there's something behind his whole gentlemen act.

Why do you think we are being introduced to another innocent character other than Dorian?
We are introduced to another innocent character in order to see how different they are when they evolve.

LITERARY ELEMENTS
Similes: He (Jim) was like a common gardener walking with a rose; tulip-beds flamed like throbbing rings of fire; They passed words to each other as players at a game pass counters; they cut the air like a dagger.

VOCABULARY
querulously-
full of complaints; complaining.
espial-the act of spying.
tawdry-(of finery, trappings, etc.) gaudy; showy and cheap.
solicitor-a person who solicits
affectations-A show, pretense, or display.
infinite- immeasurably great
dogma- a system of principles or tenets, as of a church.
melodramas-Behavior or occurrences having melodramatic characteristics.

CHAPTER 6 &7

Comprehension Check Questions:

What does Dorian do to somewhat upset Basil and Lord Henry?
He upsets Basil by not telling him about his engagement to Sibyl. He upsets Lord Henry with all the talk about love and relationship and Sibyl's perfection.

How does he describe Sibyl?
He describes her as a goddess. He basically says she's perfect in every possible way. He also talks about the various roles she's played.

Where is the setting in chapter 6?
The setting in this chapter is

What character in what play did Sibyl play the night before?
She starred as Rosalind in the play "As You Like It."

Why does Sibyl feels that she can never act again?
She claims she was young and naive and that her only love was acting. But now that Dorian is in her life and has offered her love, she can't concentrate on her acting but rather on Dorian.

What is Dorian's reaction to Sibyl after she tells him that she can never act again?
He yells at her and breaks up with her. He realized that he is not in love with Sibyl herself but rather all the character's shes played.

DISCUSSION/ CRITICAL QUESTIONS

How is Lord Henry being cynical about Dorian's engagement with Sibyl?


Explain
: Lord Henry, with a typically paradoxical aphorism, says, “Dorian is far too wise not to do foolish things now and then, dear Basil.”


Who is Dorian really in love with? Sibyl or the character she plays Juliet, or Rosalind? Why?
Dorian is in love with the characters Sibyl plays rather than herself. Every time he spoke about Sibyl he mentioned the plays so it should've been a hint.

Discuss: In a statement of one of the major themes of the novel, Lord Henry submits that being in harmony with oneself is the key to life, echoing the tenet of Aestheticism that calls for the individual to make of his own life a work of art.

What does Dorian notice about the portrait? After what specific incident does he notice the changes?
Dorian sees lines around the mouth of the painting after he's done breaking up with Sibyl.


LITERARY ELEMENTS
Similes
-hair clustered round face like dark leaves around a pale rose; she trembled like a white narcissus; her body swayed...as a plant sways in the water; drunkards chattering like monstrous apes.
Personification: Nature

Vocabulary
infatuation-
the state of being infatuated.
virtues-
moral excellence; goodness; righteousness.
incorrigible-
not corrigible; bad beyond correction or reform
pompus-
characterized by an ostentatious display of dignity or importance
spiritualize-
to make spiritual.
interminable-
incapable of being terminated; unending
fiasco-
a complete and ignominious failure.
profanation-
the act of profaning; desecration; defilement; debasement.
anodyne-
a medicine that relieves or allays pain.
illusion-
something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality.

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