The Picture Of Dorian Gray And The Jungle

Throughout American Literature, women have been depicted in many different ways. The portrayal of women in American Literature is often influenced by an author's personal experience or a frequent societal stereotype of women and their position. Often times, male authors interpret society’s views of women in a completely different nature than a female author would. While F. Scott Fitzgerald may represent his main female character as a victim in the 1920’s, Zora Neale Hurston portrays hers as a strong, free-spirited, and independent woman only a decade later in the 1930’s.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, a novel laced with sin, treachery, and raging battles of inner conflict, is Oscar Wilde’s sole novel. Considered immoral and scandalous upon publication, the book centers around a young man named Dorian Gray, who does not age or reflect the darkness of his heart outwardly, and instead a portrait of him bears the damage his destructive life wreaks on his soul. However, the meaning of the story extends past the simple fact that Dorian lives a life of immorality—he walks the path that takes him there with his two friends, Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotten. The two attempt to guide and influence Dorian throughout the novel in their own ways, and are a vital piece of Dorian’s tale. Basil and Henry act as character foils as well as a symbolic angel and devil for Dorian Gray’s character, and also contribute themes of choosing one’s own fate.

In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde is able to show how possessions can change a man so drastically. Over the course of the book the readers examine how many items such as the painting, the yellow book and much more, shape and alter Dorian from being outgoing, likable, and overall good to secluded, manipulative and most of all deceitful. Dorian gray has many motives for being deceitful that help develop the characters, and change the way they interact with each other.

A week after Ona gives birth, her bitter boss makes her return to work. She is very upset, and her health takes a turn for the worst. Though still working the family is stressed about making ends meet. Ona is forced into prostitution and raped by her boss. When Jurgis finds about about this, he is more than livid. Jurgis goes right to his face, and ends up brawling. The fight makes Jurgis go to jail, which he finds more enjoyable than being free due to the roof over his head and being fed well. While in jail, he begins making a friend who is extremely knowledgeable about the criminal underground. Jurgis saw the money to come with being a criminal, and saw it as the best way to provide for his struggling family. Hilldrup faces the same difficulty as Jurgis. He feels defeated, like he cannot prove himself, so he turns to money as a way of comfort, no matter the way he gets it. Yet, still no one wants to be apart of him at the end because he was a

and therefore it was easy for him to find a job. Together his family agrees to buy a house. Dismally, the sale was a deception and the house was run-down. The area the family lives in is filled with immigrants, crime and corruption. Their jobs are the lowest of the low and they are given no respect or sympathy by the middle or upper classes. "He has no wit to trace back the social crime to its far sources-he could not say that it is the thing men have called "the system" that is crushing him to the earth; that it is the packers, his masters, who has dealt their brutal will to him from the seat of justice”(The Jungle Ch 16). The men continually work in situations that risk their lives in order to help their families survive. Frustrated, Jurgis

The first major event of the novel is Dorian’s relationship with Sybil Vane, as it marks Dorian’s first practical experience with Lord Henry’s instruction. Although Dorian superficially embraces and attempts to follow the Hedonistic ideals,

It is impossible to discuss the role of women in literature without mentioning the influence of feminism. The later in the timeline one reads, the more prominent it becomes. Each new wave of feminism brings with it its own goals, yet it also continues to strive for some of the same goals as past generations because not everything is accomplished all at once. Although “The Well of Loneliness” by Radclyffe Hall and “Rubyfruit Jungle” by Rita Mae Brown, are two starkly different texts that strongly reflect the feminist eras in which they were written, they have some similarities as well.

What good does it do a man to gain the whole world yet forfiet his soul? None, perfection, the goal we all reach for, yet is it really attainable to become perfect without giving something in return, possibly your soul. This is a theme challenged in the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. We see the tragedy of a young beautiful Englishman, Dorian Gray, who becomes a vain sinner dedicated to pleasure. Dorian's inner secrets and weakness of mind becomes his downfall. In this novel Dorian Gray's apparent perfection is destroyed by his weakness of mind and naiiveness, which becomes the downfall of his soul as his mind is opened to sin and Hedonism by Lord Henry Wotton.

Aestheticism is a philosophy in which its followers practice complete self-indulgence. Aesthetic principles teach that the arts, beauty, and youth are absolute over anything else. People who follow this philosophy are very egotistical, and are extremely concerned with appearances. It is often associated with jewelry, painting, music, and perfumes. (insert quote to prove) All followers of Aestheticism put activities pertaining to beauty above anything else. Their priorities hold beauty above attributes such as kindness, morality, and intelligence. Hedonism is a practice that is very similar. Followers of the philosophy of Hedonism conclude that pleasure is the most important aspect of life. In the picture of Dorian Gray, Aestheticism and

Throughout the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde tells a tale about a young man named Dorian whose entire life changes after he meets Basil Hallward, who paints a portrait of Gray that ultimately leads to Gray’s demise. At the same time, Dorian also meets Lord Henry, who eventually plays a bad influence over Dorian. The portrait shows the man Dorian has become

Oscar Wilde introduces his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, with a reflection on Art, the Artist, and the utility of both. After watchful investigation, he finishes up: "All art is quite useless". In other words, genuine Art takes no part in embellishing the social or moral constructs of the society, nor should it. Art ought to be lovely and give pleasure to its spectator. The masterpiece of an artist is very absurd and abstract no matter how clear it appears to the eyes. In the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde tries to show this aspect of artist and art.

Sibyl, and her mother, performed in theatre productions in order to pay back their dues to Mr. Isaacs, who had previously loaned them money to aid with their economic complications. Sibyl was a gorgeous and an incredibly talented actress. Sibyl was also completely innocent and inexperienced. “My only experience up to this point is a kind of sheltered half-life on the stage.” When she met Dorian Gray, she felt that he was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to her. When she was later rejected by the love of her life, she was consumed by grief. Despite her love and loyalty to him, he still left

Sibyl Vane plays a symbolic role in The Picture of Dorian Gray; moreover, she plays a symbolic role in Dorian Gray’s life. This essay will explore how Sybil’s character initially influences Dorian in a positive way, giving him the motive to turn away from decadence but subsequently brings about his downfall. Recurring themes will be discussed such as the aesthetic and references will be given to show examples of Sybil’s symbolic role in his life. A summary will follow, giving a brief synopsis concluding the essays arguments.

     Dorian¡¦s rejection of Sibyl came upon one night that Sibyl has lost her magic. A night that her acting lost the power to attract and charm the audiences. ¡§Good artists exist simply in what they make, and consequently are perfectly uninteresting in what they are¡¨ (64). That night, ¡§she spoke the words as though they conveyed no meaning to her¡Kshe was absolutely self-contained. It was simply bad art. She was a complete failure¡¨ (93). Sibyl has become herself! She

The occurrence of vainness in Dorian by Lord Henry directs him to develop a number of other negative characteristics. As Dorian realizes how beautiful he is, he begins to form attachments to other winsome things, such as Sibyl Vane. This faux love awakens him to the excessive amount of influence he has over people. When Sibyl Vane acts horribly on purpose on stage Dorian responds with, “ I loved you because you had genius and intellect, because you realized the dreams of great poets and gave shape and substance to the shadows of art. You have thrown it all away. You are shallow and stupid” (Wilde, 84). Dorian successfully conveys that he loved Sibyl because of her theatrics, and when she fails at what he finds captivating about her he retaliates