ANALYSIS

Title : The Picture of Dorian

Gray

Author : Oscar Wilde

Date Created : 1890

Does the look of the novel mean anything?

Yes, it means a lot. A fictional character who is aristocratic Victorian man. Where

the story was clearly based on a living person. There is a syndrome which they

name after the novel, it indicates a societal and cultural phenomenon by a man's

extreme pride to his personal appearance and his physique which is accompanied

by difficulties in coping with the psychological maturation and with the aging of his

body as well. Both Dorian and Lord Henry exhibit narcissistic tendencies

throughout the novel and it could be argued that his narcissism both stems and is

encouraged by Lord Henry. In reality, there are still some people who never

get old but they are mortal. Immortality was everyone desire to live to the

fullest.

First Reading

Highlight words or phrases that you think are expressive. What about the

language appeals to you?

“ I am jealous of everything whose beauty does not die” This explained a lot

why there are people are considered narcissistic and they only think about their

physical self and beauty. In this world, there are some Dorian Gray who are aiming

for eternal youth and there are also stories about how they achieved it.

Write any important words that are used more than three times below.

Young

Change

Grow Old

Response to the Masterpiece

What are your personal reactions after reading it?

I get interested while reading it. The first thing I think about is to get a full copy of

the novel. It’s very interesting since the major theme is Narcissism. I just smile

while reading it.

Underline your favorite line. Why did it capture your attention?

“ Youth is the only thing worth having”

“ I have never had such a friend as you. And I shall never have other".

“ I am jealous of everything whose beauty does not die”

All of lines I have included and written are my favorite. It capture my attention

knowing that the protagonist is wishes that his portrait would grow old while he
stays young forever. The lines are very captivated. It really shows the story

and the feelings of the one who talked in the dialogue or story. He shows

eagerness and mockery on his another self which is the portrait. The kind of

friend who doesn’t look for another but treats you and consider you as

special and treasure is one of a kind.

Thinking about History

For what audience was this written?

The masterpiece is fiction and it was only assumption that the Picture of Dorian

Gray is based on a living person. The audience are the readers, fans and inspired

in writing novels.

Why do you think the poet wrote this? What clues do you find that support

this? Oscar Wilde wrote this in order to showcase the hedonism and evilness in

humanity and the destructiveness of evil that an individual can be eaten by greed,

influence to achieve the desire. There are some stories in contemporary arose

after the date where the novel created, this could only means that in order to give

message about the supremacy of youth and beauty, the people and audience are

the best one to support and may use as a basis or idea that there are things can be

achieved but there is a curse awaits.

What does this tell you about life during this period in history?
It tells the nature of society where the reactions could not be the same to the

person who wanted to achieve something. The sin and redemption committed in

order to achieve it despite that a marriage or friendship could fall. As well as

indicate the message of how we look beauty via expectation and reality. The

supremacy of youth can affect one’s consciousness once the person think another

way around. The desire and process of how we achieved it are the awaited karma

that we might received.

Is this effective in communicating its message? How?

Yes, it’s effective because there are debate and complications on the version and

details of the story. This became affective because it’s really happen in real life and

in the society itself. Even up today.

Write a question to the creator that is left unanswered by the piece

“ Is Dorian Gray your half self or representation of yourself?”

“ Who is Dorian Gray talking to?”

“ What are the events that leads the protagonist to be narcissistic?”

“ If the novel is based on real life, who is the certain person you became inspired

for it’s to write his own story?”

What more do you want to know and how can you find out?

I want to know the real copy of the English version and the what does Dorian Gray

means when he said that he is jealous of whose beauty does not die. If he is

referring to Lord Henry and how does Lord Henry get the immortality.
Look at the physical format and graphical elements, What do you see?

A free-verse poem that tells the story of a woman who continuously looks herself in

the reflection and in the lake. It is a mirror perspective of what it sees in detail and

the relations to the woman.

Title: Mirror

Author: Sylvia Plath

Date Created: was written in 1961 but wasn't published until 1971, eight

years after her death by suicide.

Does the look of the poem mean anything?

Yes the poem means a lot especially to women. It tells how a woman wants to

know the truth that only the mirror provides.

First Reading

Highlight words or phrases that you think are expressive. What about the

language appeals to you?

“I am silver and exact and I have no preconceptions” It reveals what it sees

resulting of seeing the reality like the issue that lies within the woman not only her

physical appearance which became more appealing and the language is not

pretentious, it appeals as how see the reality through the reflection and beyond of

her reflection.
Write any important words that are used more than three times below.

“ She” or the reflection of what she sees.

“ Over”

Responding to the Poem

What are your personal reactions to the poem?

I didn’t get surprised since the Picture of Dorian Gray is also self admiration but

this time is different, the woman in the poem is not narcissistic but shows of what

she can discover that lies on herself.

Underline your favorite line. Why did it capture your attention?

“I am silver and exact and I have no preconceptions” because she talks without

unbiased. She talks of what she really see and doesn’t change anything like

changing of how she view herself.

Why do you think the poet wrote this poem? What clues do you find that

support this?

The author gives us the mirror humanlike traits such as heart by not giving

judgement. It helps to understand why the woman in the poem is emotionally

connected to the object. “ The mirror has looked at the opposite pink, speckled

wall so long” this could only means that the woman consider it as part of her heart.

And the object notices the opposing wall the faces and darkness stand before it.
On the other hand, the mirror on the poem shows significance of how it became

important to the woman “ I am important to her” which became and considered

human trait who is searching her reaches for what she really is.

What does this poem tell you about life during this period in history?

The major theme of the poem is self- reflection. The mirror shows an unbiased of

what it sees. Based on a certain line of the poem “ I am silver and exact and I have

no preconceptions” It reveals what it sees resulting of seeing the reality like the

issue that lies within the woman not only her physical appearance. The mirror

could reflect the one's image but forces her/him to self inspect.

Is the poem effective in communicating its message? How?

Because of the last line of Plath's poem ends with such a drastic parallel that

describe the woman's aging reflection which can left the reader to believe that the

woman resent about her condition. “ Rises toward her day after day, like a

terrible fish." Likely her physical appearance and the disappointment of self

reflection, which is very realistic and happened to women in real life. They doubt

themselves of growing older instead of remaining young and beautiful and I’ll find it

effective because of the message of that line.

Write a question to the creator that is left unanswered by the poem.

“ is there any magic on the mirror or superficial happenings around it?”

“ Is the woman on the poem left by her lover because of aging?”

“ Did the woman find a lover before she gets older?”

“ There are many objects that can represent a woman. Why you use a mirror

instead of comb?”

What more do you want to know and how can you find out?

If the woman became happy just once in her life or there is event that leads her to

look herself on the mirror and the lake that leads her to doubt herself as well.