Notesale: Turn your study into money

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RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAY
1

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde is a novel which tells the story of a wealthy
young man named Dorian Grey who gets his wish and greatest desire
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The book begins with the characters Dorian Grey and his friends Basil Hallwood and
Lord Henry Wotton (or simply Harry)
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Basil considers this painting to be his greatest work
of all time and he continues to praise Dorian and his beautiful youthful features
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Dorian thinks about what Harry has said and this causes
him to want to be eternally young forever and ever
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Dorian realizes that
youth is something temporary and he wishes to be eternally young
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He makes a prayer
stating that he wishes for the portrait to age and what things he does will mar the portrait rather
than him
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Dorian does not age and he can do what he believes will not
have consequence
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The
portrait begins to show lines and at first Dorian is rather interested in what is happening
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The portrait first starts to change after Dorian calls off a marriage between himself and
Sibyl Vane
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The portrait is beginning to show how
one’s actions do have consequences and it does change ourselves even if it is not seen on us
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Dorian feels bad but eventually moves on
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Dorian and Harry go to theaters, enjoy luxury, and indulge in sensual pleasures
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As Dorian continues to seek pleasure and eternal youth his portrait continues to age and
show the great atrocity of his self-indulgent crimes that have continually escalated
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When Basil tries to request permission to look at the painting and barrow it Dorian becomes
furious and becomes so mad at Basil that eventually it costs him his friendship with him
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Both
Basil and Harry, continuously tried to sway Dorian a certain way and Dorian fell into temptation
that Harry offered
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Harry represented more the side that
wanted quick pleasures and to enjoy eternal youth whereas Basil had morals that he didn’t wish
to compromise
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The portrait itself is the most prominent and important symbol in the entire book
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As Dorian continues his unhealthy obsessive with pleasure and self-indulgence
the effects begin to show more and more upon the portrait
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The painting eventually makes Dorian very obsessive and even insane
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Another important symbol is “The Yellow Book
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This book was given to Dorian by Lord Henry and its
philosophy of self-indulgence and constant search for new sensations
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“The Yellow Book” represents the Lord Henry’s philosophy and his outlook on things
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It’s message of self-gratification, selfishness, lavishness, and appealing words greatly
influences Dorian and “The Yellow Book” does much to radically change Dorian and make him
live by Lord Henry’s philosophy
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At first, the tone
seems more invested or interested in what is happening to the characters and what they are

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS ESSAY
5
doing
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Over time the interest changes into something direr as Dorian falls into
great misery and woe
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While at the beginning the tone takes genuine interest
and even some admiration for Lord Henry and Dorian’s philosophy and lifestyle by the end of
the book this tone has changed from interested to harsh and shameful
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There are a great many references to the works of William Shakespeare
including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and King Lear
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Other allusions are made to ancient philosophers such as Plato
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There are also a great deal of historical references to the likes of Charles Darwin, Marco
Polo, and Louis XIV
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There is a great deal of rhetorical devices in this book
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It represents the marred soul hidden within the youthful
Dorian
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By the end of the novel,
Dorian realizes that he must make amends
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This represents how we truly never really get away from anything and how
we will always have to deal with the consequences of our actions
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The Picture of Dorian Gray

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