The Picture of Dorian Gray / Oscar Wilde
RATINGS
Overall: 4 / 5 stars
Text Level: High
Entertainment: High
Self-Help: Medium
Genres: Fiction, Classics, Horror, 19th Century Literature, LGBT, Gothic, Mystery, Suspense, Fantasy
Page Count: 186
Is this book right for my inmate and me?
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Review By: Blackbird (Inmate)
Obsession over our worldly appearance blinds us from seeing our inner soul and knowing who we really are.
Does the picture we present to others truly reflect who we are? What do we become when our outward appearance becomes more important than our souls inside? The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, takes us on a tale of suspense and murder that makes us wonder what matters most to our lives.
For many inmates, we have found ourselves living double lives. Working hard to be something outwardly to the world that is far from who we are on the inside. We build facades of falsity to others and stop at nothing to keep up the cause. These false personas built on fear, greed, or ignorance all stem from the same underlying problem. We are afraid to look at who we really are and show that to the world because we believe we might not be good enough. This thriller written by Wilde shows us the downfall of this lifestyle through mystical ways;
Set in England during the late `800s, we meet a young man named Dorian Gray. His beauty is so great that women and men are powerless to his whims. His world is filled with carefree pleasures without any troubles to speak of until he is given a painting of himself by a friend. A life of exploiting others and broken promises with his perfection suits Dorian well. To the outside world he seems to have it all, but as he discovers one fateful night his evil deeds are not overlooked by his portrait. Time passes on and pain ensues but Dorian remains ageless and unaltered. With each year and evil deed, the picture of Dorian Gray changes to show his flaws, while the man stays the same. Can he reflect on his wrongs and repent before it is too late?
What can we learn from the tale of Dorian Gray as inmates living in prison? One of our greatest gifts given to us by God is the ability to self-reflect. We can recognize our current mistakes and change course. Oscar Wilde shows us in his story that without reflection there is no change, and this can be our downfall. We learn that it is not enough to live merely for pleasures, but we must work to be individuals that contribute to the betterment of those around us. We need to be true to ourselves and our souls and when we see we have faulted it is on us to fix it. Our hearts and souls are good enough for others and God if they are filled with truths. We must be true to the faith that we can be more.