Dorian Grey- English Paper 2

Question 1

How is chapter 1 opened?

Answer 1

The opening of this chapter is set in Basil Hallwards art studio, in his home

Question 2

Who is Basil Hallward and who is he sitting with in chapter 1?

Answer 2

Basil Hallward is a painter and he is with Lord Henry wotton

Question 3

In what era was this book written?

Answer 3

Victorian era

Question 4

What is Basil doing in chapter 1?
Explain what this person has become to Basil.

Answer 4

He is finishing a painting of Dorian grey

Dorian grey has become Basils most recent artistic obsession and says that Dorian influences him on a personal level

Question 5

We open chapter 1 with sensory pleasures, which is an example of what ? And what image does this create?

Answer 5

It is an example of hedonism

This creates an image that expresses the richness of this society

Question 6

Do we get introduced to Dorian grey in Chapter 1?

Answer 6

No we don’t, his character is just described

Question 7

How is Dorian described in Chapter 1?

Answer 7

Dorian is described as having skin like ivory (pale colour) and loose cheeks. And he is compared to a piece of art

Question 8

What is Lord Henry smoking in Chapter 1 and what effect does smoking this thing have on one’s body ?

Answer 8

Opium

Opium is a psycho-active drug that alters a persons brain.

Question 9

What is opium used to show in the book and why ?

Answer 9

It is used to show hypocrisy. It shows hypocrisy as the rich can use/smoke it freely however when the poor do they get punished

Question 10

What school did Basil and Lord Henry attend?

Answer 10

Oxford

Question 11

Use one word each to show how Lord Henry and Basil are described in chapter 1

Answer 11

Basil = idolistic (good)
Lord Henry= cynical (bad)

Question 12

Who do we meet in chapter 2?

Answer 12

Dorian Grey

Question 13

When Basils butler comes to inform him and Lord Henry that Dorian Grey has arrived what warning does Basil give Lord Henry?

Answer 13

Basil tells Lord Henry to act well/ well behaved and to not influence Dorian Grey in a negative way

Question 14

Lord Henry says he is leaving and Dorian grey asks him to stay

Mention 2 ways that this scene show us that Lord Henry is smart and manipulative (chapter 2)

Answer 14

1. “I have to go”- Lord Henry says this although he has no intention of leaving, he just wants Basil to ask him to stay
2. Basil had initially stated that he idolises Dorian Grey, and so Lord Henry asks Dorian Grey to ask Basil if he can stay because Lord Henry knows that Basil won’t say no to Dorian

Question 15

Lord Henry stays and he begins having a deep conversation with Dorian grey, what is this conversation about ? (Chapter 2)

Answer 15

The conversation is about beauty, youth and pleasure and how life is all about experiencing new pleasures and experiences as well as self-development which in turn challenges Dorians belief system.

Question 16

How does Dorian react to seeing the finished painting by Basil ?

Answer 16

Dorian is shocked and that’s when he realises how beautiful and handsome he really is

Question 17

After seeing the painting, Dorian makes a wish, what is this wish ?

Answer 17

He wishes that he could remain young forever and that the painting would age instead

Question 18

Towards the end of chapter 2 something about Dorians personality/character begins to fade, what is it ?

Answer 18

Dorians innocence begins to fade

Question 19

At the end of Chapter 2 Lord Henry asks Dorian to go with him to the theatre, but Basil asks him to stay, who does Dorian choose and how does the other one feel?

Answer 19

Dorian chooses Lord Henry

This leaves Basil feeling rejected- this shows foreshadowing

Question 20

What motif do we see in chapter 2?

Answer 20

We see a motif of Lord Henry’s voice. It is described as mesmorising

Question 21

What is the main focus of chapter 3?

Answer 21

It is about Dorians backstory

Question 22

Who is Lord Fermor/ George and what do we know about him?

Answer 22

Lord Fermor is Lord Henry’s uncle. His father was a bachelor and and ambassador. Lord Fermor’s father was a very rich man and he retired because he didn’t get the ambassador job in Paris

Question 23

What is the “English blue book”?

Answer 23

This was a book that had all the names of the upper-class members

Question 24

Who does Lord Henry go and visit to find out Dorians backstory in Chapter 3?

Answer 24

His uncle - Lord Fermor

Question 25

What is Dorians mom’s name ?

Answer 25

Margret

Question 26

What does Lord Henry find out about Dorian’s background/ backstory?

Answer 26

He finds out that Dorians mom( who was rich) eloped with Dorian’s father (who was poor), Lord Kelso (Dorian’s grandfather) sent some bad guys to kill Dorian’s dad in a dual in Belgium, because he didn’t approve of Dorians dad. After Dorian’s dad dies, Lord Kelso brings Dorian’s mom back home and within a year Dorian is born and within that same year his mom dies Dual= sword fight

Question 27

How did Lord Kelso (Dorian’s grandfather) treat Dorian?

Answer 27

He was very cruel to him and he kept him locked up in a room for 18 years

Question 28

In chapter 3 we also see how Lord Henry sees Dorian, how does he view his relationship with Dorian ?

Answer 28

Lord Henry sees himself as a musician and Dorian as an instrument. He controls Dorian and sees him as art

Question 29

How does chapter 4 open up ?

Answer 29

It open up a month later with Dorian waiting for Lord Henry in Lord Henry’s home library, in Mayfair

Question 30

How does Dorian meet whilst waiting for Lord Henry ?

Answer 30

Lady Henry- Victoria

Question 31

How does lady Henry claim to know Dorian ?

Answer 31

She says that she has seen 17 pictures of him and she saw him at the opera the other night with Lord Henry

Question 32

How is lady Henry described?

Answer 32

She is described as an untidy lady who is obsessed with going to church

Question 33

State the 2 reasons why Lord Henry was late for his meeting with Dorian

Answer 33

1. He was chasing an old piece of brocode in Wardour Street 2. Lord Henry functions under one of his principles that “punctuality is the thief of time “

Question 34

As soon as Lady Henry exists the room, how does Lord Henry describe marriage?

Answer 34

He speaks about marriage in a dismissive manner and states the “men marry because they are tired and women marry because they are curios, however both are disappointed”

Question 35

What does Dorian tell Lord Henry in the library?

Answer 35

That he has fallen in love with an actress called Sibyl Vane

Question 36

How did Dorian get to know about sibyl vane ?

Answer 36

One night he was walking on the poor side of London seeking adventure, when he saw an individual who he describes as a “ hideous Jew” smoking and standing in front of an unimpressive theatre. This hideous jew lured him into the theatre. When he got into the theatre he watched the production of Romeo and Juliet, where Sibyl vane played the role of Juliet. He found the production very unimpressive however Juliet/sibyl vane impressive and calling her a genius.

Question 37

As Dorian explains the production of Romeo and Juliet, what confession/ foreshadowing does he make to Lord Henry ?

Answer 37

He says that if he ever committed a crime he would tell Lord Henry

Question 38

On which day do Dorian and sibyl speak for the first time?

Answer 38

On the third night of Dorian going to watch sibyl

Question 39

What role was sibyl playing on the night she finally spoke to Dorian and how does Dorian describe sibyl’s personality ?

Answer 39

Sibyl was playing the role of Rosalind Dorian describes sibyl as being shy, gentle and having a childlike nature

Question 40

What name does sibyl call Dorian and what does this name imply ?

Answer 40

She calls him “price charming” - this indicates that she sees Dorian as her saviour and as someone who will rescue her from her poor life

Question 41

Dorian then invites Lord Henry and Basil to come watch sibyl the next day, where she will be playing the role of ?

Answer 41

Juliet

Question 42

At the end of Chapter 4, we see that when Lord Henry comes back from dinner at around past 12, he receives a letter from Dorian, what does this letter say ?

Answer 42

This letter says that Dorian and Sibyl are engaged to get married

Question 43

How does chapter 5 open up ?

Answer 43

It opens up with sibyl burring her face in her mother’s lap, explaining how she loves Dorian and call him prince charming.

Question 44

How does sibyl vane‘s mother react to finding out about Dorian?

Answer 44

She reminds that she needs to focus on acting because they owe Mr Isaac’s (theatre manager) a lot of money.

Question 45

Who is James Vane?

Answer 45

He is Sibyl Vane‘s brother

Question 46

Where is James going and why?

Answer 46

James is going to Australia to find gold, so that he can earn enough money for them.

Question 47

How old is James and how old is Sibyl?

Answer 47

James is 16 and Sibyl is 17

Question 48

When James and Sybil go for their walk what do they discuss?

Answer 48

Sibyl talks about James’s future and how much it holds for him. She also speaks about Dorian Gray.

Question 49

How does James feel about Dorian and Sibyl relationship?

Answer 49

James is very over protective and he automatically doesn’t like Dorian because Dorian Gray is from the upperclass, James is also very suspicious because sibyl doesn’t know Dorian Gray’s name

Question 50

What does James threaten to do if Dorian hurts Sibyl?

Answer 50

He threatens to kill Dorian

Question 51

What does Mrs Vane explain to James about their father?

Answer 51

She explains how their father was from the upper class and how he was also married to another woman. She also tells James that if the father was still alive he would’ve made provisions for them.

Question 52

What do Dorian Gray and Sibyl have in common?

Answer 52

Both Dorian Gray and Sibyl have a parent from the upper class and a parent from the lower class.