Monday, July 15, 2019

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde


A talented English painter named Basil Hallward wants to live his life by expressing his artistic passions. An example of this is when he makes a portrait of one of his fellow friends named Dorian Gray. Basil is unsure if he should exhibit his work at a museum but at the end of the day, he plans on doing so and Dorian disapproves. During this portrait's existence, Dorian's attitude seems to change very slowly by becoming a narcissist and acting very vain. What will happen to Dorian?  

I honestly really didn't like this book. At first glance, this book doesn't even look appealing at all to bookworms. The colors on the cover look so dull and Basil's portrait doesn't seem to look very nice. The only time I liked this story is when there is a touch of horror, particularly regarding a certain grizzly scene. This is a book containing a classic as a genre and it has philosophy in it. If people were to understand the philosophy behind it, as well as some of the words & phrases in the old English language, then why not give this book a check out? I think this is a novel that would generally suit an adult in their 40s or 50s because some of the topics can be controversial and sensitive such as when they talk about how women are people who get taken advantage of and they are not treated right. As for myself, I wouldn't want to read something like this until I’m older and have a better understanding of the philosophy explored here.

Hannah R., Grade 9
Downtown Central Library


1 comment:

Melissa said...

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic philosophical novel originally released in 1890. It follows a young man named Dorian Gray in Victorian era London as he experiences his youth while struggling between being virtuous and sinful. Dorian is split between his friend Basil, who encourages him to be a darling and innocent fellow, and Lord Henry who prompts him to enjoy all the twisted pleasures of his adolescence. Through trial and error Dorian learns that it is impossible for any human being to choose only one.

Though after having finished it and analyzed it for a few days I see the complicated philosophical messages this book includes, I would not recommend this book to someone who is not already invested in classics. Personally, I believed that the book was very slow paced, there seemed to be no real plot until the very end of the book when all the loose ends were tied up. It has a lot of characters rambling about things that seem irrelevant, and some of the descriptions seem more like information dumps rather than setting/character construction. I do think there are some insightful passages and quotes in the book, but if you plan on reading it for the storyline, I would advise you not to. I would recommend it if you are into philosophical ideas, and long difficult passages however.

Reviewed by Kristina K., Grade 11
Glendale Central Library