Dorian Gray Ch. 11

Quote
"He grew more and more enamored of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul" (Wilde 131).

Response
Dorian's interpretation of the painting is in the middle of the two options we have discussed. He sees the marks that he is leaving on the painting and becomes intrigued by it all the while cherishing his eternal youth. Dorian will never change, he sees the wrinkles made on the painting and scoffs at them. The marks made on the painting have an influence on Dorian, but this influence is not positive. The marks make Dorian happy that he made the bargain because he sees how much damage he would have actually done to his beauty.

Quote
"How exquisite life had once been! How gorgeous in its pomp and decoration! Even to read of the luxury of the dead was wonderful"(140).

Response
It is very surprising to me that Dorian would not realize the obvious. It is obvious that life will become boring when emotion and change is taken out of it. Dorian is basically living the same day over and over again, which is what he asked for. There are only so many things one can do at the age Dorian is. With age comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes an added element of excitement. Dorian needed age in order to become smart, when his beauty left him he would have had elderly wisdom. Now Dorian is trapped with his good lookes and naive mind.