Dorian Grey Chapter 4

1) “Ah! that is one of Harry’s views, isn’t it, Mr. Gray?  I always hear Harry’s views from his friends. It is the only way I get to know of them” (49).

This is Lady Henry's response to what Dorian says about bad music. She says that it seems like one of Henry's ideas, and that she usually hears Henry's ideas from his friends. This shows that Henry influences others and that he is successful in influencing Dorian. It is also strange that Lady Henry says that she only hears her husband's ideas from others. This may show that Henry does not care that much for his wife if he does not discuss life in the same mystical way that he discusses it with others. This also seems to be a paradox. If Lady Henry only heard her husband's ideas from others and never from Lord Henry himself, how would she know that those ideas belonged to her husband. How can she distinguish what her husband's ideas are if she has never heard them in the first place?

2) “The only artists I have ever known who are personally delightful are bad artists. Good artists exist simply in what they make, and consequently are perfectly uninteresting in what they are. A great poet, a really great poet, is the most unpoetical of all creatures. But inferior poets are absolutely fascinating” (60).

This is another one of Lord Henry's ideas about life. He is referencing what Basil told him earlier. Basil is a good artist, who puts a lot of his own character into the portrait of Dorian. Because he is a good artist, who works so hard on his paintings, he loses the quality of artfulness from his character, which appears only in his work. After Lord Henry says this, Dorian wonders if it can be true. This is similar to what the other characters do when they hear Lord Henry speak. Then, because Henry has influenced Dorian so greatly, Dorian says that, since Lord Henry said it, it must be true.

Definitions:

1) "That is one of your aphorisms" (51).

aphorism: noun- a pithy observation that contains a general truth

2) "The same nervous staccato laugh broke from her lips" (49).

staccato: adjective- with each sound or note sharply detached or separated from the others

Dorian Grey Chapter 3

1) “There was something terribly enthralling in the exercise of influence. No other activity was like it. To project ones soul into some gracious form, and let it tarry there for a moment; to hear one’s own intellectual views echoed back to one with all the added music of passion and youth” (39).

Influencing others seems to be a major theme in the book already. This quote may be what Lord Henry believes about influence. He may want to influence Dorian, thus putting his ideas into another individual and seeing them come out affected by youth. This allows for Henry to gain a sense of youthfulness. Henry seems interested with youth, and since Dorian is youthful he becomes fascinated with him. He will try to influence Dorian in order to have his ideas seen through a young mind. Also, many other characters say that Henry does not know what he is saying, or that he does not make sense. It may be that what Henry says is not what he truly believes. 

2) “Yes, he would try to be to Dorian Gray what, without knowing it, the lad was to the painter who had fashioned the wonderful portrait. He would seek to dominate him–had already, indeed, half done so.  He would make that wonderful spirit his own” (40).

This is Lord Henry's plan for Dorian. He has seen what influence Dorian had on Basil, and now he will try to do the same to Dorian. Lord Henry is fascinated with Dorian's unique youth and beauty, so he will try to, by influencing himself upon Dorian, regain a feeling of youthfulness. When Lord Henry and Dorian are at lunch at Aunt Agatha's, Henry gives fanciful speeches on how he perceives life. This amuses everyone there, including Dorian, who begs Henry to talk with him more. Henry is already greatly influencing Dorian, and Basil would be very displeased with this fact.

Definitions:

1) “Philanthropic people lose all sense of humanity” (38).

philanthropic: adjective-seeking to promote the welfare of others

2) “Worlds had to be in travail, that the meanest flower might blow” (39).

travail: noun- tribulation or agony

Dorian Grey Chapters 1 and 2

1) “There is no such thing as good influence, Mr. Gray. All influence is immoral–immoral from the scientific point of view” (19).

Basil does not want Lord Henry to influence Dorian, so he would rather that he leave then say and talk with him. When Dorian asks that Henry stay, Basil allows it and Henry says this quote in response to Dorian asking if he really is a bad influence. Henry says that all influence is bad because it changes people, and does not allow them to think naturally. Henry does not seem to influence Basil in any way because Basil often thinks that Henry does not even believe in what he is saying. However, Henry's advice does seem to greatly affect Dorian, especially on the issue of youth. It seems that all these characters influence each other. Henry influences Dorian, Dorian influences Basil, and the portrait painted by Basil influences Dorian.

2) “I am jealous of everything whose beauty does not die. I am jealous of the portrait you have painted of me. Why should it keep what I must lose? Every moment that passes takes something from me, and gives something to it. Oh, if it were only the other way!” (29).

Dorian says this because he has been influenced by the words of Lord Henry, just as Basil feared. Henry tells him that his youth is all Dorian has, and when he loses it his life will be meaningless. When Dorian sees the portrait, he becomes jealous of its timeless beauty and youth. He wishes with all his soul that the painting would age instead of himself. He stops Basil from destroying the painting because he believes that it is a part of him now. Dorian's connection to the painting will be very important.

 Definitions:

1 ) "And Lord Henry flung himself down on the divan, and opened his cigarette-case" (18).

divan: noun - a long low sofa without a back or arms

2) "I think that would be a rather nice excuse: it would have all the surprise of candor" (31).

candor: noun- the quality of being open and honest in expression

Scarlet Letter: 221-235

1) "At this moment, old Roger Chillingworth thrust himself through the crowd,—or, perhaps, so dark, disturbed, and evil, was his look, he rose up out of some nether region,—to snatch back his victim from what he sought to do!" (225).

This is Chillingworth's reaction to what he knows is about to happen. He sees that Dimmesdale is now ready to confess his sin, and so he desperately tries to draw Dimmesdale back into his lies. This is because if Dimmesdale confesses, it is no longer possible for Chillingworth to harm him. Chillingworth was slowly torturing Dimmesdale far beyond the pain of death. He caused the minister both mental and physical anguish. When Dimmesdale confesses and takes his last breath he experiences freedom for the first time in seven years. This freedom is from the guilt of his sin, and from Chillingworth, who can no longer harm a free man.

2) "Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken. The great scene of grief, in which the wild infant bore a part, had developed all her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her father’s cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor forever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it. Towards her mother, too, Pearl’s errand as a messenger of anguish was all fulfilled" (229).

This quote links to when Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale were in the forest. When Dimmesdale kissed Pearl there, in private, she was disgusted and washed her face. Pearl often asked her mother why the minister would not stand with them on the scaffold in public, but now he finally is able to. She kisses him and Pearl changes from the strange child that she was into a normal little girl. This is because what needed to be done is done. She was a messenger to both Dimmesdale and Hester. She was a physical sign of their sin. She was a constant reminder of what they had done with the questions she asked both of them. She influenced Dimmesdale into his confession, and she influenced Hester into wearing the scarlet letter. Now that her work is done, she is no longer an evil child of sin, but a normal little girl.

Definitions:

1) "Thus, there had come to the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale—as to most men, in their various spheres, though seldom recognized until they see it far beyond them—an epoch of life more brilliant and full of triumph than any previous one, or than any which could hereafter be" (223).

epoch:–noun -a particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc.; the beginning of a distinctive period in the history of anything; a point of time distinguished by a particular event or state of affairs

2) "By bringing me hither, to die this death of triumphant ignominy before the people!" (229).

ignominy:–noun -disgrace; dishonor; public contempt; shameful or dishonorable quality or conduct or an instance of this

Chapters 15-22 Outline

Chapter 15

• Hester declares that she hates Chillingworth (159)
• She blames him for tricking her into marriage (159)
• Pearl behaves in an evil manner, but she feels bad when she hurts a bird (160)
• Pearl mentions Dimmesdale’s behavior of holding his hand on his heart and asks what the scarlet letter means (161)
• Hester still believes Pearl is his punishment that will lead to redemption (163)
• Hester lies about the letter for the first time (163)
• Hester threatens Pearl for the first time (164)

Chapter 16

• Hester wants to tell Dimmesdale who Chillingworth really is (164)
• The forest has a negative connotation, similar to “The Crucible” (165)
• Also similar to “The Crucible”, Pearl tells the story of the Devil carrying a book, in which people sign their names in blood (167)
• Pearl is compared to the brook (168)
• Pearl notices that Hester outwardly bears her sin, while Dimmesdale does the opposite (169)
• “Death was too definite an object to be wished for or avoided” (170). This refers to Dimmesdale almost wishing to die in the forest.

Chapter 17

• Hester and Dimmesdale do not immediately take of the events involving their past
• Dimmesdale tells her of how he is only tortured by the villagers who deeply respect him (172)
• He thinks she is lucky to have the scarlet letter to bear openly (173)
• She tells him who Chillingworth really is and he says that he had a feeling that he was evil all along (175)
• Hester tells him that he should run away, but he says he can’t do it alone, but she says he is not alone (179)

Chapter 18

• Hester tells Dimmesdale to stop worrying about the past and he begins to feel better
• Hester takes the scarlet letter off for the first time, and feels extremely relieved (182)
• The forest all of the sudden becomes sunny, and it loses its negativity (183)
• Pearl is playing in the forest and Hester wants her to meet Dimmesdale
• Pearl stops on the edge of the brook

Chapter 19

• Dimmesdale believes that Pearl resembles him and he was worried that the townspeople may link the two (186)

• Dimmesdale says that children do not usually like him, but Pearl was nice to him the past two times they interacted (187)
• Pearl refuses to come to Hester because she is not wearing the scarlet letter
• When Hester puts the letter back on Pearl comes to her, but she once again bears the mental anguish along with it (190)
• Dimmesdale kisses Pearl, but Pearl washes her face in the brook (191)

 

Chapter 20

• Dimmesdale and Hester plan to leave on a boat within four days, and Dimmesdale has a big sermon in three days
• As he walks back to town he feels that everything is strange and that he has only known it in a dream (194)
• “I am not the man for whom you take me” (195)
• He is afraid to speak with his deacon (196)
• He also has an awkward interaction with an old lady and a younger one who attend his church (196)
• He covers his face from the young woman because he is too ashamed and believes he may corrupt the entire town (197)
• Mistress Hibbens accuses Dimmesdale of going to the forest and interacting with the Devil
• Dimmesdale tells Chillingworth that he doesn’t want anymore of his medicine (201)
• He then writes a new sermon for the election day
•  

Chapter 21

• It is a town holiday because there will be a procession for an elected official (202)
• All of the people are gathered at the town market
• Pearl says that Dimmesdale is a sad man because he will only interact with Hester and her in private, but never in front of the rest of the town (205)
• Chillingworth talks with the captain of a ship, and Hester finds out that Chillingworth will also be traveling aboard the boat that she and Dimmesdale planned to take (210)

Chapter 22

• The procession begins
• Soldiers in the procession are compared to the Knights Templars (212)
• Dimmesdale seems to be more energetic in a strange way (215)
• Pearl asks if he is the same man that was with Hester and her in the forest (215)
• There are newcomers to the town market who have herd rumors that exaggerate the scarlet letter’s meaning, and Hester must deal with their glares along with the old familiar ones
• Mistress Hibbens speaks with Hester about Dimmesdale and asks her what his secret is (216)
• Dimmesdale begins to make his speech and there is lots of emotional appeal , “pathos”, in it
• The speech is compared to an organ and even if one did not understand what was being said, they would still be able to interpret the emotion in it (218)

First Theology Essay

In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis describes pride as the worst sin of all. He makes this claim because he argues that pride leads to all other sins. He says that all men are guilty of it, we are overly conscious of it in others, and rarely recognize it within ourselves. Lewis also brings up the point that it is the utmost evil because pride is how the Devil became the Devil. Pride or self-conceit is the opposite of humility, an important virtue in Christian morality. It is the complete opposite of Christian mentality, and makes it impossible to live as God intended.

            Lewis states that pride will never lead to pleasure. He says this because pride only results in pleasure when a man has more of a certain quality than all other men, and this is certainly impossible. Someone will always be more rich, intelligent, or famous than the person seeking to be the best. Pride not only creates hatred between men, but also between men and God.

            Pride does not allow us to know God. To describe this fact, Lewis uses the analogy that, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you” (Lewis 124). God is above all humans, no matter how prideful they are, and in order to recognize God, a man must realize his inferiority to God and be humble in his presence. Lewis also describes pride as spiritual cancer because it destroys the possibly of love, happiness, and common sense. Lewis then goes on to clarify any possible misunderstandings.

            First, he says that, “pleasure in being praised is not pride” (125). This is because finding happiness in the approval of another person, still involves respecting the opinion of others, which pride does not. This is the concept of vanity, which is not as evil as pride. Second, he says that pride in the sense of being ‘proud of’ something is not a sin unless the thing we are proud of is related to ourselves. To clarify this Lewis says, “To love and admire anything outside yourself is to take one step away from utter spiritual ruin” (127). Third, he claims that pride is not forbidden by God because God Himself is proud or cares about his dignity, but rather that God wants to make us humble so we can know him. Last, Lewis states that if there ever was a truly humble man, he would be happy and intelligent, and would only be disliked in envy of how easily life.

            Lewis closes his argument saying that the hardest part in gaining humility is admitting that you have pride, and if you believe that you are not proud of yourself, then you are actually very proud of yourself.