* Post responses in the comment box. (Remember to compose in a word processing file. Then copy and paste your work into the comment box.)
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Respond to the author's portrayal of monsters (and/or monstrousness) in the novel you are reading. Your response should be 300+ words and must be received before pumpkin time (midnight) Monday. The questions below may help you generate a thoughtful response.
Who is the monster or who are the monsters in the book? How do you know? What makes the character a monster? Physical deformity or difference? Inhuman or inhumane behavior? Both? Something else? What is the relationship between physical monstrousness and moral monstrousness in your book? (Some possibilities: Does physical monstrosity mask moral beauty? Does physical monstrosity lead to alienation which leads to monstrous moral choices? Etc.)
What seems to be the cause of the monstrous behavior in your book? (Is it in the monster’s nature as with the Grendel of Beowulf? Is it chosen by the monster as a response to radical alienation and rejection as with the Grendel of Grendel? Is it learned by the monster? Is it taught to the monster?
What seems to be the author’s purpose in presenting a monster (and/or monstrous behavior) in the novel? What is the author trying to show about human beings and the human condition?
Grading: Your responses should show that you have read the first 50 to 100 pages of your book and that you understand how the book relates to monsters and monstrousness.
An advanced response, which shows a command of "monster" concepts and appropriate, precise, thorough supporting evidence, will receive an A.
A proficient responses, which offers plausible interpretations of monstrousness with specific support and no major omissions or errors, will receive a B.
A limited response, which offers partial interpretations of monstrousness with some specific, accurate, appropriate support, will receive a C.
A response, which address the prompt but which offer little to no support and which demonstrate little to no understanding of how the author uses monsters in significant ways, will receive a D or F.
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24 comments:
Grant Weaver
12/7/09
E Block
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein does not directly address monstrousness in the first sixty pages of the book, but does leave enough information from which to learn the books perspective on monsters. This subject is addressed in two ways physical and emotional monstrousness.
The actual monster or ‘Frankenstein’s Monster’ is the prime example of hideousness. Composed of various parts of men, Frankenstein’s monster has many physical attributes, such as his “yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness.” This only furthered to emphasize upon his “watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same color as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion and strait black lips”(Frankenstein, Shelly). This stark contrast even furthered his monsterdom. It is also said that the monster is eight feet tall, sure to stand out in a crowd.
The other type of monstrousness present in Frankenstein is emotional. This is presented not in Frankenstein’s monster, but in Dr. Frankenstein himself. Even the doctor acknowledges this by saying that he is the ‘creator of this new ‘breed’. When he arrives back in Geneva, following the death of William. He sees the monster and automatically assumes that it is the killer. The doctor also blames himself for the family’s loss, and really becomes ashamed that he acted so selfishly, focused only on how he would be affected by the project. Now, he realizes that he has unleashed a being upon society, one that seemingly cannot be stopped.
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein the two types of monstrousness which appear, physical and emotional, play an equally important role in the novel. This provides a good base of knowledge upon which to expand through the rest of the book.
As it is well known, 19th century literature has a tendency to beat around the bush. The first few pages of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde are very obscure. It is very easy to get lost in the details. At the beginning of chapter two, however, the book begins to take shape.
Most obviously, Mr. Hyde is the monster. He is described as having the appearance of deformity and is very short. It is very hard not to hate Mr. Hyde. In the third chapter, at the slightest provocation, if any (the maid telling the story at that point does not specify) he clubs a man to death. It is possible that there is an ulterior motive to doing this; however the story does not allow room for any sympathy with Mr. Hyde at this point. Even Dr. Jeckyll is uncomfortable with Mr. Hyde, even though he is ceding all his possessions to him in his will. Dr. Jeckyll seems to display great confidence in Mr. Hyde, so it is possible that there is sympathy for Mr. Hyde in the book and only Dr. Jeckyll understands him.
CamC
Hunchback of Notre Dame: by Victor Hugo
Book 1
Chapter1-5
1) Who is the monster or who are the monsters in the book? There are many monsters so far known in just 58 pages for the book. There are some that are monstrous by physical deformity and others that act inhuman. It is clear that the author wants us to think of the main monster as Quasimodo the author describes specifically his physical deformities. However I think the real monster in the book is the audience watching the Freak show the way they scoffed the “freaks” was inhuman. Quasimodo’s lack of beauty lead him into the freak show, which is a sign of alienation.
2) What seems to be the cause of the monstrous behavior in your book?
I don’t believe that Quasimodo has monstrous behavior I feel that the audience has more of a monstrous behavior then him. The Festival of Fools was meant for entertainment and it happened to be popular as well. Since one person through so morally low of a human who is less of an attractive person cause many people to think the same way about that person. The main cause of the monstrous behavior is because of popularity and or rejection from the commoners.
3) What seems to be the author’s purpose in presenting a monster (and/or monstrous behavior) in the novel?
The authors purpose in presenting the monster is to create pity for Quasimodo and or hatred toward the audience and Gringoire. I am not sure if Hugo is purposely trying to identify the audience and Gringoire as monstrous or if he is just trying to make it seem that Quasimodo is the monster. I feel that there is more to Quasimodo than meets the eye and yet I feel that I am over looking the whole story and the author is just trying to play it simple is making Quasimodo as the monster.
Although the picture of Dorian Gray has not revealed much monstrous themes yet, there are some hints to Dorian Gray being a monster. Dorian Gray is described with amazing beauty by his friend Basil Hallward. They may be more than friends as there are hints of homosexuality between these two. This may represent Oscar Wilde as he was arrested for being a homosexual. There is a painting of dorian made by Basil but he refuses to show it to people. He argues there is to much of himself in this painting, showing a connection between him and dorian. Lord Henry remembers hearing of Dorian form his aunt. Lord Henry had the first intention of dorian looking like a monster. He described the picture of Dorian he had in his head as a “creature, horribly freckled with huge feet”, on page fifteen. He later meets Dorian and is captured by his ability to intrigue him. We get the sense that Dorian is a puzzling character and we fell that he is powerful and dominating, able to capture ones sole. Dorian seems upset when he sees the painting. He is sad that his beauty will fade the the paintings wont. He wishes that it was the other way. Through the first many chapters Basil describes morality. He says that and artist never puts thought into a work of art and if he does it is a self portrait. He says the mind of an informed man is monstrous and cluttered. Dorian comes from a bad past and a dark childhood. As the story progresses we can see that the relationship with Basil has weakened and his relationship with Lord Henry has grown tremendously. Dorian is very swept up in his own beauty and is almost obsessive with keeping it which makes me question about the painting of him and if it will develop as he grows.
Mac H.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The beginning of the book is more about the life of Victor Frankenstein. The monster himself is not created until later in chapter 5. What leads up to the creation is possibly a monster himself. Victor Frankenstein is not the monster that is created but he shows moments of creating a monster of himself in the process leading up to his creation.
A monster is usually thought of as physically scary but what is also found is the mental monstrousness that is found in Frankenstein. It is obvious that the created Monster is the monster portrayed in the book because it has physical abnormalities and is feared by Victor himself who created him. Victor is horrified by its appearance and has nightmares about the Monster. What also can be seen is the monstrous side of Victor as he creates this inhuman behavior out of his loneliness. He ignores humanity and is obsessive with his studies and the creation of life. In the process of making the Monster he himself becomes one. His friend Henry Clerval helps him understand his state of mind of shame and regret. What caused the Monster to exist was the creation of it, but the creation is what caused Frankenstein into a monstrous behavior.
From just looking at the overall feelings from this book, so far I can see the author is trying to show some relationship of monstrous behavior with loneliness. In the letters to his sister, Robert Walton writes about his loneliness of his voyage and his isolation from humans that he can share his dreams with. With out this companionship with another the loneliness of a person takes over their emotions. Once Robert met Victor Frankenstein he was exhilarated and his fascination of this stranger grew. It is also seen later with frankenstein that once he became isolated from his loved ones he showed a monstrous behavior. The authors purpose for creating this monster was possibly to show the effects of loneliness and the isolation from loved ones.
Jacklyn
The monster in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is the Dorian Gray as a person and the painting of him by Basil Hallward. He becomes a monster due to the idea and want of staying young. He realizes due to Lord Henry because he told Dorian that once beauty is gone one has nothing else left. In the beginning of the book the author portrays Dorian as a well spirited young man looking at like as a grand adventure. On page twenty seven Dorian realizes that he should be the one to stay young and that his portrait show grow old and carry the marks of his sins. When he meets Sybil Vane he becomes enchanted with her and they are engaged three weeks after they meet. One night her acting is not up to Dorian standards and he shows the true monster within him. Dorian becomes enraged yelling at Sybil telling her she is nothing to him. He has become a monster, hi vanity, the monster within him has making him to blind to realize that he has hurt the poor girl. When he returns home he sees that his picture has changed. No longer is it his youthful smile, but a deep scowl. The picture is starting to become a monster by showing the marks of Dorian’s sins. Who is to blame for the sudden monster Dorian has become none other than Oscar Wilde’s Lord Henry, with his smooth words and interesting yet very horrendous theories he has begun to turn Dorian into a monster. Lord Henry admits to himself on page sixty one that Dorian is a creation of himself. Lord Henry has taught Dorian that his youth and beauty will make him what he is and once he is old he has become nothing. However Lord Henry has not just created a monster he is one also. The way he views many people has made him vain and cruel causing him to take interest in only the beautiful and the weak at heart or mind. The idea is that one must have monstrous virtues or be a monster to create a monster. James Sybil’s brother is able to see that Dorian must be a monster because it is the idea that all gentlemen that are wonderful and beautiful must be monsters that Oscar Wilde is trying to convey. He is trying to show that when one has basically everything, but knows they can lose everything he will become vain and conceited in an attempt to hold on to what he knows he must lose.
Jacklyn
The monster in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is the Dorian Gray as a person and the painting of him by Basil Hallward. He becomes a monster due to the idea and want of staying young. He realizes due to Lord Henry because he told Dorian that once beauty is gone one has nothing else left. In the beginning of the book the author portrays Dorian as a well spirited young man looking at like as a grand adventure. On page twenty seven Dorian realizes that he should be the one to stay young and that his portrait show grow old and carry the marks of his sins. When he meets Sybil Vane he becomes enchanted with her and they are engaged three weeks after they meet. One night her acting is not up to Dorian standards and he shows the true monster within him. Dorian becomes enraged yelling at Sybil telling her she is nothing to him. He has become a monster, hi vanity, the monster within him has making him to blind to realize that he has hurt the poor girl. When he returns home he sees that his picture has changed. No longer is it his youthful smile, but a deep scowl. The picture is starting to become a monster by showing the marks of Dorian’s sins. Who is to blame for the sudden monster Dorian has become none other than Oscar Wilde’s Lord Henry, with his smooth words and interesting yet very horrendous theories he has begun to turn Dorian into a monster. Lord Henry admits to himself on page sixty one that Dorian is a creation of himself. Lord Henry has taught Dorian that his youth and beauty will make him what he is and once he is old he has become nothing. However Lord Henry has not just created a monster he is one also. The way he views many people has made him vain and cruel causing him to take interest in only the beautiful and the weak at heart or mind. The idea is that one must have monstrous virtues or be a monster to create a monster. James Sybil’s brother is able to see that Dorian must be a monster because it is the idea that all gentlemen that are wonderful and beautiful must be monsters that Oscar Wilde is trying to convey. He is trying to show that when one has basically everything, but knows they can lose everything he will become vain and conceited in an attempt to hold on to what he knows he must lose.
Tom Martin
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The monster in this book would have to be Dorian Gray, a very handsome man portrayed in a very beautiful painting by the artist Basil Hallward. For Dorian himself sent chills through Basil’s soul upon the first time they met. Since then, Dorian became a muse of inspiration to Basil. But the most recent portrait Basil has made of Dorian makes the latter very depressed. For he remembers what Lord Henry, Basil’s friend had warned him about, that age will come upon him and soon his beauty will become a thing of the past, while his portrait will remain forever youthful. He then curses this fate of everyone’s soul, wishing it to be the other way around. Dorian has traded his soul to be forever young. This is the first wrongful act of Lord Henry upon Dorian, for the Lord throughout the rest of the novel will have become a cyst on the morality of Dorian’s soul. He has implanted many devilish theories of the power of vanity into Dorian’s mind, creating a monster out of the young man. Dorian’s monstrousness is composed of moral monstrousness by his following unruly actions, and physical deformities as shown in his painting. Dorian, being incredibly impressionable, as seen by the acts of Lord Henry, has met and fallen in love with an actress, Sybil Vane, who he became engaged to after just a few short weeks of knowing her. His intentions are questioned by the Vane family, but his beauty has entranced the young Sybil, who is smitten under his “spell”. But after a weak acting performance, and Dorian ignoring her explanation, a sign of her devotion to him, the now cruel man has left the girl heartbroken after an enraged fit of anger. Sybil then committed suicide, yet this tragic act leaves Dorian emotionless. He feels nothing for the death of Sybil, after being convinced by his friends that it is nothing for him to worry about, that all he should exist to do is to live freely, while basking in the pleasures of life and it’s entailing sins. But as Dorian commits each disgusting sin or act of wrongful judgment, his painting increases in horrific detail, carrying his immoral behavior in a repulsive form. Dorian’s monster-like behavior has reached a new height. Not even death leaves a trail of guilt on his soul. Yet even as he acts in this manner, he still remains vain and youthful, which makes him all the more carefree and all the more monstrous.
Moriah O'Neil
12.7.09
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
During the late 1800’s many of today’s famous and favored gothic fictions were written. Among the many is, The Picture of Dorian Gray written by Oscar Wilde. In the first five chapters of the novel, monstrous characters are not candidly revealed but clues and suggestions are displayed. Dorian Gray is an example of a developing monster in this book. Although his physical appearance is not a frightening one, it ultimately contributes to his monstrousness. Basil Hallward, a friend to Dorian, paints him as he sees him capturing his physical beauty, innocence, and pure youth. After Lord Henry Wotton meets Dorian and sees the painting, he too understands the mesmerizing appearance of Dorian that Basil has earlier explained to him. However, Lord Henry’s influence on Dorian first causes him to become the monster he is. In the garden, Dorian hears Lord Henry’s ideas and beliefs about life. He says that beauty and fulfillment are the only things that are worth being pursued in life and nothing else should matter. After hearing this Dorian lets vanity and greed get the best of him and pleads to Basil telling him of his desire of the picture to age instead of him. He has realized the fact the he is a beautiful human being and doesn’t want his appearance to ever escape him. Inner beauty is not a factor that Dorian can understand. This part of the story not only shows him as being a monster, but also foreshadows the fact that he will dive into corrupt encounters taking for granted that the sins he commits will be shown on the portrait’s soul, and not on his own. Dorian’s physical beauty leads him into making monstrous moral choices. Knowing before-hand that his desire is satisfied, the portrait of Dorian ages and transforms due to his inner ugliness, sin, and self-indulgence.
The cause of monstrous behavior in The Picture of Dorian Gray is the influence of Lord Henry Wotton. When Dorian heard the words Lord Henry spoke of life only being about beauty and personal fulfillment he then desires to remain as he is. Lord Henry plays a role in creating what Dorian becomes all because of his own self- centered attitude and influence on him.
Oscar Wilde’s purpose in presenting a monster was to show that a monster, as many would at first think, isn’t always physically deformed, hideous, or frightening. Ultimately, the attitude of the heart and soul will determine inner beauty or ugliness. Although Dorian Gray was beautiful on the outside, on the inside monstrous qualities begin to develop causing him to indulge more and more and immoral fulfillment.
Stephanie K.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
The monsters in “In Cold Blood” are in some ways different than what you might expect. A lot of times a monster is viewed to be some type of beast that is physically frightening and different from everything around it. However, the monsters are human. The monsters are not physically monstrous, but mentally evil. The way in which the monsters kill is ruthless and very violent. “Mr. Clutter was tied down in the furnace room, his neck was slit, and he was shot in the head. Kenyon was tied down to a couch in the basement rec room and shot, while Nancy and Mrs. Clutter were tied down and shot in their respective beds.” Only a person that is somehow sick in the mind and monstrous would be able to kill like this. The author portrays a monster as something that kills and brings harm upon others.
The author sees a monster as a murderer. This type of monster can be anywhere and would go unnoticed by looks alone. An unknown murderer could be around many people and never suspected or looked down upon. Alvin Dewey, one of the lead detectives, who is head of the case, cannot find any clues to who the murderers could possibly be. The motive is not very apparent and the murderers seemed to have known the family they killed well because they knew the layout of the house. It is truly monstrous to turn on people that have possibly never done any harm to them and do not have a clear motive. There almost seems to be no cause or reason for monstrousness from the murderers.
Monsters are known to spread fear and paranoia and this is exactly what the murderers do. The people in the town have no idea who to trust. The monsters eliminated the most secure and trusted family and no one has any idea of who could be murdered next. The monsters keep them afraid and never knowing what could happen, almost controlling their lives and thoughts. Human beings begin to crack when they do not feel safe and are threatened. It is even human beings that can turn on their own kind and cause destruction.
In the novel Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, portrays the “monster” in a more realistic way, other than that of the average scary beast or Dracula. However the author does not completely disregard all the characteristics we see in a monster. This novel begins with two friends taking their usual walk (Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield) when one mentions something that interests the other. Mr. Enfield mentions a story of a man outside the old out of place building, the man did something bad outside that building and as witnesses threatened him he paid them off with a check in another man’s name. However Enfield could not comment on the name, but Utterson figured it out. It had to be his client Dr. Jekyll and the beneficiary to his estates Mr. Hyde. Through Utterson’s discoveries he figures out that Mr. Hyde must have something over Dr. Jekyll and is blackmailing him. Stevenson (Author) is portraying Mr. Hyde in this book as a monster, but not the monster we are used to seeing. He is a different type of monster, not one with magical powers or plots to take over the world, but a smart man who knows he can get what he wants through black mail. Mr. Hyde is the modern day monster, a murderer (suspected murderer) and manipulator. He is exactly the type of person everyone in our society today is afraid of, he is smart and tricky. He is the person the world is scared to being taken advantage of. Although Stevenson portrays this modern realistic monster, he does not disregard all fantasy. Mr. Hyde is described as extremely ugly, scary looking, but no one can place their finger on what is it that makes him so ugly. Through the character Mr. Hyde the author truly frightens the reader because this is not some type of fantastical character; it is a real type of human being that could in fact infiltrate anyone’s life at any given time.
Chase Kelly’s response to:
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
12/7/09
The first 50 or so pages of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” set a stage for a wonderful novel. Be that as it may, through chapter five, the monster has yet to be established. It begins with an artist named Basil Hallward describing to his friend from Oxford, Lord Henry Wotton, his infatuation with the inner and outer beauty of a young man named Dorian Gray. He describes him in such high regards that can only make the reader wonder of his true appearance. Once Lord Wotton meets Gray, he seems to feel the same way, but in a decidedly less infatuated manner. One quick snapshot of monsterousnous we see is not first hand, but Basil describes the occasional mistreatment of his emotions by Dorian. On page 9, Basil states, “Now and then, however, he is horribly thoughtless, and seems to take a real delight in giving me pain. Then I feel, Harry, that I have given away my whole soul to some one who treats it as if it were a flower to put in his coat, a bit of decoration to charm his vanity, an ornament for a summer’s day.” He later goes on to, not so intensely, but clearly hurt Basil’s feeling with a few remarks and decisions regarding Lord Wotton over Basil. The cause of Gray’s monstrous behavior seems simply to be vanity and selfishness, whether it be selfishness to disregard a friends feelings in order to do what he wishes, or whether it is the vanity to try to destroy a beautiful piece of art just because it will not age like he will. Although clearly Gray has an innate vanity, Lord Henry Wotton really transforms him by having this clearly educated and thoughtful man place his beauty so high upon a pedestal. Lord Wotton surely transforms Gray with his insightful but arguably misguided words on the value of beauty, as well as other things including love and fidelity. Lord Wotton seems to mediate between almost having certain, what one today might consider monstrous values that he does not live by, but transfers to others like Gray. Along with making statements of how vanity and selfishness can corrupt, I feel Wilde is also trying to comment on how others can corrupt.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
In the first six chapters of Frankenstein, there is a monster that is created by Victor Frankenstein. From Victor’s point of view, the monster is horrible and disgusting, so his physical appearance is part of what makes him a monster. He is also eight feet tall and “his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath.” The personality of the monster is not clear from the first six chapters. In the process of making a monster, Victor becomes a monster. His is deprived of sleep and food and he doesn’t leave his apartment or have any interaction with people. This monstrous behavior is furthered when the monster actually comes to life. Dr. Frankenstein is horrified at the monster that he created, so he leaves it alone. He then becomes very ill and is aided by his good friend Henry Clerval, but even when he is well again, the sight of any kind of science instrument nearly drives him insane.
There hasn’t been any mention of monstrous behavior from Frankenstein’s monster yet in the book, but Victor Frankenstein is driven to become a monster himself when he goes to Ingolstadt and figures out that he has a deep passion for natural philosophy and the human frame. He then become so obsessed with this one project that his mind focuses on finishing it and doesn’t think about anything else. He brings out the monster in himself by focusing his time and energy on this one thing.
Its not very clear what the author is trying to show at this point, but it may be along the lines of it takes a monster to make a monster. The process of creating a monster made Dr. Frankenstein go crazy and hate what used to make him happy.
The Picture of Dorian Gray-Oscar Wilde
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian Gray becomes the monster. Although it is unknown whether or not Dorian really is the monster one can assume that through his actions he is really the monster. Basil-a painter who is impressed and motivated by Dorians beauty-paints a picture of Dorian. Basil seems to be in love with both the painting and Dorian himself, but does not want the picture to be viewed by the public. Dorian sees this picture and claims that it is more beautiful than he, and that he will grow old someday while the picture will stay young. Dorian has no physical deformities, but becomes so wrapped up in his physical appearance that he becomes a monster. Since Dorian becomes fearful of becoming old and ugly that fear would become the cause of his monstrosity. It seems as if Lord Henry is the one who contributed to Dorians monstrous state as he was the one that pointed his youth and innocence out. While talking to Dorian, Lord Henry expresses his feelings about how beauty and fulfillment are the only things that matter and of course Dorian gets sucked into believing it. Dorian falls in love with Sybil Vane, he thinks she is beautiful but it appears as if he does not really see past her beauty. This is where Lord Henry's beliefs on life come into play, he thinks beauty is everything and therefore falls in love with Sybil just for her beauty. After they get engaged Dorian's monstrous actions come out while watching one of her plays. He claims her acting is not what he thinks is the best acting and tells her she means nothing to him. Dorian becomes so absorbed in beauty that he does not see the things that really matter in life, like with Sybil. Dorian claims that the painting will remain youthful while he grows old, but perhaps Basil has something different planned. Basil may realize how Dorian feels and because he is so obsessed he may add onto the painting as Dorian ages. Oscar Wilde may convey the monster as Dorian becoming wrapped up in beauty because many humans do become wrapped up in being youthful and not aging, like Dorian wishes.
In the novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” the monster is Dorian Gray. This is made clear with in the first couple chapters of the book when Basil Hallward expresses his deep passion for Dorian. Basil talks to Lord Henry and tells him about the inspiration he gets from Dorian. Basil explains how he is possessed with the thoughts of Dorian, which motivated him to paint his master piece of art. This proves that Dorian Gray plays the role of the monster because he is naturally possessive and has a dominate and controlling personality and effect on those around him. As his effect on Basil is obvious he also begins to be influential towards Lord Henry. Another characteristic that proves Dorian to have signs of monstrousness is his obsession with staying young. When Lord Henry looks at Basil Hallward’s portrait of Dorian he states that as the picture will stay young and handsome, Dorian will not. Dorian will age and become older and less handsome with time. Dorian claims that instead of aging himself, he believes that his portrait should age and show his scars of sinning and that he should remain youthful and good-looking. A final example of Dorian’s monstrous ways is proven when he acts out towards his fiancé Sybil Vane (an actress.) After her performance does not impress Dorian he becomes outraged and verbally attacks her, stating that she is worthless to him. As he leaves Sybil feeling miserable, worthless, and heartbroken, she commits suicide. Dorian, who does not show any emotion to the fact that his fiancé has died believes that he should live freely and not suffer from any act of sinning. As Dorian proves himself to be both sinful and monstrous, he begins to see changes in his portrait. The once handsome youthful man in the painting has become terrifying to look at. With each sin Dorian has committed, his portrait has suffered. Dorian however, has not been affected neither physically nor emotionally from his wrongful acts and judgments. Having the power of his charming looks inspires Dorian to continue to carry out his shameful and immoral actions.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is a book about not as much as the inhuman as it is with the inhumane behavior. Basil, the artist, starts off talking to Lord Henry about his “greatest painting.” Henry wants Basil to give the painting to the Grov , but Basil refuses because he believes that too much of his soul is in the painting. This is weird because the way the painting works is that to keep young, Dorian Gray (who is the painting’s main feature) has the picture grow older and he stays the same. However, the picture grows more hideous as he sins. The picture which Basil claims to have put too much of himself in, grows uglier by the moment to match Dorian Gray’s moral standards. At the same time it is hurting Basil and he is increasingly becoming more concerned for Gray. The book also shows the influences on Gray’s life. Dorian is not an overly intelligent man, and is easily manipulated. When Basil introduces Dorian to Lord Henry, the struggle for Dorian’s soul begins; Basil, who represents the morally just option, and Lord Henry, who represents the no morals option. Gray is more influenced by Lord Henry because it is more appealing; a much more exciting life than the one Basil represents. Dorian punishes his picture with his first sin, when he meets somebody that he falls “in-love” with. Sibyl Vane is an actress and Dorian only likes her because of that. When Vane loses her acting skills because of her love of Gray, he leaves her. She eventually kills herself. The painting becomes more vulgar. The next problem to Dorian would be the brother of Sibyl, who when during Gray’s first dinner with Sibyl’s family said he would kill Gray if he did anything bad to his sister.
Molly B.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
There has not yet been a defined monster in this book. Dorian Gray has, however, been hinted on as a future monster. He is a young man of exquisite beauty and he becomes one of Basil Hallward’s most important inspirations. He is kind and gentle and mysterious. When Gray and Hallward first meet they speak of destiny bringing them together. Hallward introduces Gray to his friend, Lord Henry, who has been waiting to meet Gray. Lord Henry takes immediate interest in the boy. Hallward warns Gray not to become contaminated with the thoughts Lord Henry puts into Gray’s mind, but he doesn’t seem to listen. When Gray and Lord Henry go out the garden Lord Henry tells Gray that his beauty will fade and he will become wrinkled and old, this becomes planted in Gray’s mind and he continuously thinks of it. Though, Gray and Lord Henry become good friends, Hallward is still concerned. He believes the innocence of his inspiration has been corrupted. When Gray falls in love with Sibyl Vane and gets engaged his fiancé’s brother, James, gets a little up tight about the situation. James believes that there is something very off about Dorian Gray. He tells his mother, and then warns his sister about Gray. Neither Sibyl nor her mother believes James. James tells his sister that if he ever hears of Dorian Gray hurting his sister he will find him and he will kill him.
The cause of the monstrous behavior from Dorian Gray will have started with Lord Henry telling him that he will not always have his beauteous looks; they will eventually be replaced with time. Lord Henry brings more and more thoughts into Dorian Gray’s mind the more they are together. Gray’s mind becomes corrupted. Gray’s true monstrous behavior will appear as his love life unfolds and secrets in his life unveil his tangled past.
The book I chose to read is called Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. The opening chapters in the book are a first volume, and the whole volume of letters is written by Robert Walton to his sister Mrs. Saville. Robert is a sailor, and he his writing accounts of his voyage to his sister. The reader finds out about the beginning of his travel until the end. This first volume of the book does not have anything to do with the first three or four chapters of the book, so it must be a citation about characters later in the story. Chapter one is narrated by a character named Victor. Victor is talking about his life and childhood. He talks about how a girl named Elizabeth came to live with him and his family.
It could be assumed that somehow Robert Walton and the narrator of chapter one, Victor, are connected sometime later in the book. Elizabeth was an orphan girl that Victor’s parents adopted while Victor was young. It is clear that Victor view’s Elizabeth very highly, and he calls her beautiful and names that appraise her during the first few chapters. Frankenstein is a story about a monster, and the reader knows this before opening the book. Most readers would realize as to who might be the monster within the first characters introduced into the story. Because it is a monster story, there has to be an individual or creature that has become or is shown to become corrupt in some way or form. If not the actual monster, then a character surrounding must have a moral or spiritual dilemma. The common reader, including myself, stereotypes Frankenstein to be about a large green monster with screws projecting from its neck. After reading the first several chapters, however, the reader can tell that it is much more than just that.
Leila G
The Picture of Dorian Gray
A monster has not yet been completely established in the beginning of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. However there are hints about Dorian Gray becoming a monster. Dorian is first upset when Lord Henry tells him about how beauty is such a precious thing and about how his will eventually fade. Lord Henry Wotton’s words deeply affect him and change the way he thinks about life. This seems to be the beginning of a few things that may turn Dorian into a monster. On page 19 He says, “If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that- for that- I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing I would not give! I would give my soul for that!” Dorian becomes obsessed with perfect beauty and staying young forever. Later, when he goes to see Sybil Vane act, the woman he both loved and admired for her beauty and acting talent, she performs very poorly. After seeing this Dorian tells Sybil that he never wants to see her again. This is the first time a change appears in the painting. His first act of slightly monstrous behavior is reflected in Basil Hallward’s portrait of Dorian Gray. It is apparent that Lord Henry’s words had a much greater effect on Dorian than he expected them to. Dorian’s new found vanity in turning him against even people that he once loved. Vanity is a very dangerous thing for him have that will most likely eventually turn him a person capable of monstrous behavior.
Emily P.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
In the novel “In Cold Blood” Capote doesn’t give an in depth description or portrayal of the killers in the first 50 pages. There are two monsters, that only the readers know about, they are not monsters in a physical sense, but are morally monsters in that it is already known that they will brutally kill an innocent family. The two monsters in this book are Perry and Dick, two “small men” that Capote seems to represent as not as tough as they try to be. The cause of this brutal killing is not expressed in the first 50 pages, and in the future is probably shown as an un-substantial reason. The first 50 pages are more like a description of each of the victims showing them as an innocent human being. By doing this it seems as if Capote wrote the book in order to show the pointlessness of unneeded violence. Also because he uses cold humor such as saying “little did she know it would be the last pie she ever made” Capote establishes the dark irony of the situation that only the readers know what is going to happen and the victims are helplessly clueless. Thus showing that he thinks random violence is ridiculous and stupid although it is in human nature in some people. Along with showing that random violence is stupid Capote seems to be trying to say that the monsters that commit the crime are not as tough as they seem, and that the reason for the murder was to try and prove their masculinity or toughness. He shows this by both men being small, and especially by Perry having messed up legs by a motorcycle accident, and furthering this by emphasizing certain times when Perry has to go to the bathroom and find a way to deal with the excruciating pain. Capote uses this weakness to show that the monsters are not as tough as they want to be, and to show the stupidity of their crime.
..i posted this on the other blog by accident yesturday just in case you dident get it its there
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