I seriously despise this blog post, because I had to interrupt my reading to write it. The past two chapters have undoubtedly been the most enthralling yet. This comes as somewhat of a surprise, as the chapter before these last ones was probably the most dense ten pages I think I have ever read.
In chapter 11, there is no dialogue. In fact, there is not any interaction between the reader and the characters. That chapter's purpose was simply to thoroughly describe the moral and social changes that Dorian has not only embraced, but now also publicly displayed. It goes into excruciating detail explaining the immense wealth of royalty from around the world, what a day in their normal lifestyle looked like, and compared their jewelry and decorations with those that Dorian Gray owned. I also never have had to pause mid sentence to google something before in my life, whether it was an object, a stone, or a word. Eventually, it came to a merciful end, and did not even a paragraph in once again becoming epic. |
Chapters 12 and 13 left me flabbergasted. Chapter 12 began with Dorian heading home late one foggy night, when he ran into his good friend Basil Hallward, who had been looking for Dorian all afternoon. Out of good etiquette, Dorian invites Basil in. Basil then tries to begin a very serious conversation with Dorian, but the Dorian Gray capable of having the type of conversation Basil intended to have has long been gone. The purpose of Hallward's visit was to inform Dorian of what is being said about him behind his back before Basil left to a studio in Paris for several months (surprise!).
The conversation then evolves into a discussion about the purity of the soul, and how Dorian must work hard to reclaim his image in the eyes of men, and his soul in the eyes of god. For the first time, Dorian decides to reveal his terrible secret to another. He tells Basil to follow him upstairs into the old study, where he hid the portrait, and promises to reveal to him his soul.
Chapter 13 begins with Dorian locking Basil and himself into the study, Basil thinking this is all a big ploy for who knows what purpose. When Dorian revealed to Basil the state of the portrait, you can feel the pressure and shock emulating from between the characters through the pages. Basil cannot believe that Dorian's soul is in the portrait, but he also cannot make himself believe otherwise; there is no other explanation, logical or illogical, that explains why the portrait grew old and weary and evil while Dorian so exquisitely retained the beauty of youth.
I will not tell you what happens next, because I cannot bear to put such a massive spoiler into writing on a publicly accessible website, but I promise it is something I never saw coming. After this chapter, you lose any perception you may have about who the real Dorian Gray is.
The conversation then evolves into a discussion about the purity of the soul, and how Dorian must work hard to reclaim his image in the eyes of men, and his soul in the eyes of god. For the first time, Dorian decides to reveal his terrible secret to another. He tells Basil to follow him upstairs into the old study, where he hid the portrait, and promises to reveal to him his soul.
Chapter 13 begins with Dorian locking Basil and himself into the study, Basil thinking this is all a big ploy for who knows what purpose. When Dorian revealed to Basil the state of the portrait, you can feel the pressure and shock emulating from between the characters through the pages. Basil cannot believe that Dorian's soul is in the portrait, but he also cannot make himself believe otherwise; there is no other explanation, logical or illogical, that explains why the portrait grew old and weary and evil while Dorian so exquisitely retained the beauty of youth.
I will not tell you what happens next, because I cannot bear to put such a massive spoiler into writing on a publicly accessible website, but I promise it is something I never saw coming. After this chapter, you lose any perception you may have about who the real Dorian Gray is.