INTERNAL ASSESSMENT

EXTRACT-A1

From “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (by Oscar Wilde)

The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the
trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more
delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.

From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his
custom, innumerable cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-sweet
and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous branches seemed hardly able to bear
the burden of a beauty so flamelike as theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight
flitted across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge window, producing
a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of
Tokyo who, through the medium of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of
swiftness and motion. The sullen murmur of the bees shouldering their way through the long unmown
grass, or circling with monotonous insistence round the dusty gilt horns of the straggling woodbine,
seemed to make the stillness more oppressive. The dim roar of London was like the bourdon note of a
distant organ.

In the centre of the room, clamped to an upright easel, stood the full-length portrait of a young man of
extraordinary personal beauty, and in front of it, some little distance away, was sitting the artist
himself, Basil Hallward, whose sudden disappearance some years ago caused, at the time, such
public excitement and gave rise to so many strange conjectures.

As the painter looked at the gracious and comely form he had so skilfully mirrored in his art, a smile of
pleasure passed across his face, and seemed about to linger there. But he suddenly started up, and
closing his eyes, placed his fingers upon the lids, as though he sought to imprison within his brain
some curious dream from which he feared he might awake.

Wilde, O. (2000). The picture of Dorian Gray. London: Penguin.

1 Presentation (3-4 minutes)

The extract presents the beginning of Lord Henry Wotton's encounter with the portrait of Dorian Gray,

where the narrator presents us with beautiful words the atmosphere of the room or studio of the artist

Basil Hallward, showing that he maintains a climate of loving feelings because of the Relationships

and references to plants and flowers that the narrator presents, with the aromas that are perceived in

the air, also give us the feeling of the passion that the artist Basil Hallward maintains for the portrait of

Dorian Gray. It presents Lord Henry entering or from one side of the studio smoking cigarettes,

showing that he is someone refined for the time of the context of the story or the extract, also his way

of appreciating or observing is incredible to notice and reflect on the beauty of a portrait.

In that sense we can see how themes such as art, beauty, identity and feelings that lie in seeking

perfection in a portrait are related to the novel.

In the extract we can identify themes such as passion, art, perfectionism. These themes are reflected

in the final parts of the extract where Basil maintains a serene character, where he meditates to

observe an essential figure or model to make his painting splendid after having a little scare or

creativity impulse, as mentioned "But he suddenly started up, and closing his eyes, placed his fingers

upon the lids, as though he sought to imprison within his brain some curious dream from which he

feared he might awake"

I find it interesting the passion that Basil maintains about Dorian's painting, where he focuses on not

wanting to lose visions of a polished image for its presentation, the search for perfectionism aided by

an environment that enhances the importance of the portrait makes us realize the personality of the

artist and how he wants to see the message reflected through his masterpiece.
2 Follow-up questions based on the literary extract (4-5 minutes)

1. Is there something in the extract that moved, engaged or provoked you? Why or why
not?
2. What are the message and themes of the excerpt?
3. What impact do events have on the development of history?
4. How do you consider the development of the events in the extract?
5. Why is this scene a key one in the story?
6. What point is the author trying to make in this extract?
7. How did/would you react to this scene?
8. What shocked, grabbed your attention or was powerful about the scene in the extract?
9. Would this scene be possible/suitable in your own culture? How does this extract
connect to the main message of the novel?
10. Can you elaborate on what you said in your presentation about the perfectionism that
Basil Hallward seeks to achieve?
3 General discussion (5-6 minutes)

IDENTITIES

1. What constitutes an identity?

2. How do language and culture contribute to form our identity?
3. What ideas and images do we associate with a healthy life style?
4. How do we express our identity?
EXPERIENCES

1. How and why do different cultures mark important moments in life?

2. How would living in another culture affect our worldview?
3. How do travel broaden our horizons?
4. How does our past shape our present and our future?
HUMAN INGENIUTY

1. How do developments in science and technology influence our lives?

2. How do the arts help us understand the world?
3. What can we learn about a culture through its artistic expression?
4. How do the media change the way we relate to each other?
SHARING THE PLANET
1. What environmental and social issues present challenges to the world, and how can
these challenges be overcome?
2. What ethical issues arise from living in the modern world, and how do we resolve
them?
3. What challenges and benefits does globalization bring?
4. What challenges and benefits result from changes in urban and rural environments?