2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This is the discussion thread for The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Chapter 11-15

I wrote these after each chapter.
Chapter 11 - bored out my mind. While I do understand now why that chapter was there. It was rather difficult to read due to the language.

Chapter 12 - mind blowing. Shocking. I was left stunned. I couldn’t believe I read what I read. I did enjoy the conversation with Basil. (view spoiler)[ the secrets and the reasons why people don’t like Dorian anymore were answered. How unaffected Dorian was to the claims or rather truths. Basil’s shock to learn the person he adored was in fact all the things people said. Reminds you of the first chapter when Basil told Henry he didn’t want to share the identity or name of Dorian because he was so pure, he knew Henry would tarnish that (hide spoiler)] Can we please discuss this: (view spoiler)[ to kill Basil after looking at the portrait. Did it “tell” him to do it? Is it covered in so much sin that evil just exudes from it? <\spoiler>

Chapter 13 - I actually couldn’t stand Dorian. He was heartless? Cold? I can’t find the right word for his actions after chapter 12

Chapter 14 - still good, but my feelings towards Dorian are not so positive. Justice. I want to see justice some how. I guess I need to keep reading. (view spoiler)[ to involve someone else into the murder was terrible. His old friend wanted nothing to do with Dorian to begin with and to be “reacquainted” like this...shame.” Does anyone know what was written in the letter Dorian gave? <\spoiler>

Chapter 15 - another great dinner scene with good dialogue. (view spoiler)[ what was the green stuff Dorian looked at in that tiny Chinese box?<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

I completely agree about chapter 11! I was falling asleep while reading it just trying to get through it. Glad I wasn't the only one.

(view spoiler)[ I felt that one of the reasons Dorian murdered Basil was because he was honing in on Dorian's imperfections. The whole point of his prayer is to remain perfect and youthful and flawless (outwardly at least), while the picture suffered the negative consequences of time and sin. So Basil talking to Dorian about what everyone thinks about him, plus his insistence on seeing the picture put Dorian's flawless image of himself at risk and he had to eliminate that threat.

I agree after chapter 12 he was heartless. I feel like apart from just the physical changes to the picture when Dorian sins, he (the person) may not actually feel the physical consequences of his actions either. Most people with a somewhat healthy and "normal" psyche will feel drained, guilty, fear, sadness, etc. if they were even a part of some of the terrible things Dorian did. SPOILER FOR CHAPTER 19 or 20! (view spoiler)[ This is later touched on by Wilde when he mentions the fact that Alan Campbell (the man who helped him clean up the Basil mess) has committed suicide. (hide spoiler)] Dorian just lets the picture "feel" all of that. (hide spoiler)]

I'm trying desperately hard to get through chapter 11. I'm reading on my Kindle so it's got the timer thing on the bottom. Currently have roughly sixteen minutes left according to it. It's endless.

But thanks for mentioning chapter 12 being so great. It's motivation!

Same here, chapter 11 seems to go on forever. Maybe listening to the audiobook on Spotify will be better. I am gonna try that now :)

Never mind, that one seems more like an adaptation than the actual audiobook

I finally got through chapter 11 using the audio recording on Youtube! If anyone read the chapter without being sure what you have actually read, and needs a summary, shmoop has one that is quite amusing: https://www.shmoop.com/picture-dorian...
Looking forward to reading chapter 12 now.

Yes chapter 11 was tough to get through, was reading with less and less attention. Luckily chapters 12 through 15 certainly made up for that!

As everyone else, I've dragged through Chapter 11 (kindle told me at the start of it that it would take me 44 mins to read!!!). However, I've been captivated with Chapters 12-15.

I don't know yet how I feel about them though... I felt horror, disgust and many similar emotions during those chapters. How can someone kill so coldly an old friend and just "try to forget about it until it is necessary." The more I read about Dorian, the more I think that man is completely out of his mind and spend most of his time trying to avoid life. At one point, he states "Life has been such a disappointment" to him. But honestly, has he ever tried to live for real? I doubt it...

I also wonder what dark secrets he has regarding Mr. Campbell that made him change his mind. I'm not even sure he realized how manipulative he is and if he is conscious about all that goes about him. For a man that is all about appearance, he sure doesn't seem to be annoyed with what's being said about him.

Just finished chapter 14 and I was like woah, I wonder what kind of dirt Gray had on Campbell.

Heather wrote: "Just finished chapter 14 and I was like woah, I wonder what kind of dirt Gray had on Campbell."

Yes, wondered about that too!

And the slide into immorality twists into the corruption of innocence, scandal, and infamy. Basil's attempts to make Dorian see make Dorian intensely angry. After the murder, we see that Dorian does have a feeble conscience, though only temporarily. He adds blackmail to his ever growing lists of sins. He is now growing increasingly paranoid and has other signs of insanity.

An interesting study of what can become of one who knows he has no consequences for his behavior. Especially for the late 19th century.

11 is the struggle and 12-15 makes up for it, so much has happened! Wasn't expecting any of that I must say. Interested in how this is all going to come to an end.

Courtney wrote: "11 is the struggle and 12-15 makes up for it, so much has happened! Wasn't expecting any of that I must say. Interested in how this is all going to come to an end."

Ah, you made it :)
The remaining is an easy and fast read!

Finished 12, I really love this book, and I adore the friendship of Basil, who seems to really want to think the best of Dorian

Chapter 12 is evidence of Basil's genuine unconditional love for Dorian. After Chapter 11 where Dorian sought out all that life could offer, collect worldly distractions and slowly succumb to his portrait's nature, Basil still cares for Dorian, after all this time. Lets see how Basil reacts in Chapter 13.

Susy wrote: "Heather wrote: "Just finished chapter 14 and I was like woah, I wonder what kind of dirt Gray had on Campbell."

Yes, wondered about that too!"

Me too! Just what kind of dirt would make someone go pale. I'm guessing that since the book mentioned that they were quite intimate for some time, it's the fact that Campbell is gay. I mean, it's frowned upon in that era and he wouldn't want that to get out to the public. But I'm not sure! Maybe he did something else that was also criminal.

Chapter 11 was a drag, I had to make my boyfriend read it to me, since he loves audiobooks so much, to which he said "I'm not an audiobook!" and I replied, "You are what you love." LOL.

The following chapters are very quick and easy to read, aside from the conversation at the parties. So Chapter 15 left me hanging, what's Dorian going to do, where is he going, and what's that greeny stuff he found in the cabinet????

Going to read more now!

Finished chapter 13(again) and now we have hit the second of Dorian's casualties, first his vanity (sibyl VANE(vain)), and now his innocence (perhaps Basil would count also as his self adulation?)

Sunni wrote: "...(sibyl VANE(vain))..."

I'm cackling.

Chapter 11 is excessively long, I understand what the writer wants to transmit, but with the half of the pages could be better.
Chapters 12, 13 and 14 are marvelous, all intrigue and surprise. As people have said in the post before, you can see the signs of insanity in Dorian Gray.
Chapter 15 serves as a link with the last part of the story and it isn't very interesting.

Heather wrote: "Just finished chapter 14 and I was like woah, I wonder what kind of dirt Gray had on Campbell."

I wondered this as well!

Like everyone else (I have yet to see one person write that they enjoyed chapter 11), I found chapter 11 incredibly tedious. I nicknamed it The Chapter of Boring Lists. Chapters 12-15 however were very interesting and I was engaged throughout my reading. I have to say, Dorian’s reaction to Harry asking him where he went the evening before, didn’t sound like the reaction of an innocent person. Of course, you could probably only tell this if you knew what had happened, like us readers, and to anyone who didn’t know, it may not have seemed so suspicious.

*Amber* wrote: "Heather wrote: "Just finished chapter 14 and I was like woah, I wonder what kind of dirt Gray had on Campbell."

I wondered this as well!

Like everyone else (I have yet to see one person write t..."

Sunni and I enjoyed it, but we accidently put our comment in Chapter 10 section.
I loved this chapter it was humbling and staggering. Sunni wrote:

"finished 10 and 11 and loved it, Dorian is trying to fill his life (and probably himself) with beautiful and unique things and ideas, this not only demonstrates his fleeting attention and his constant ennui but to think that Oscar Wilde had all this information without google at his fingertips, that he took the time not only to gather it but to write it out painstakingly to convey such a confused and enamored mind always humbles me. "

I finished this section and I'm down to the last three chapters. Chapter 11 just about killed me, but the story got a lot better after that.

Randy wrote: "I finished this section and I'm down to the last three chapters. Chapter 11 just about killed me, but the story got a lot better after that."

Lol, same here!

I agree with you Randy. my eyes kind of glazed over that chapter.

But Chapter 12 got it going right quick though. I flew through the book after that. Only a couple chatty parts slowed it down. And it got real dark real fast.

Chapter 12 helped me regain interest indeed.

Well, I finally made it through chapter 11. UGH. It only took me four days total. I think I restarted it each time which probably didn't help. Finally my eyes just glazed over and I just persevered through it. Chapters 12 & 13 were a breeze but...wow. I'm in shock. I stopped there last night. I'll try to finish this section today.

Kristy wrote: "Well, I finally made it through chapter 11. UGH. It only took me four days total. I think I restarted it each time which probably didn't help. Finally my eyes just glazed over and I just persevered..."

Lol, yes me too, I let my eyes touch the words without taking in what exactly I was reading, just to be able to say I "read" the whole book....

Chapter 11 was horrible! I liked the book overall though. I finally finished it up today.