Abby > Recent Status Updates

Jo is so clueless to Laurie! I agree with Marmee: let children be children for as long as they may.

It’s quite awful. At age 15, one feels so grown, but is looked upon as a child. Many decades later, one longs for the childish nature of 15.

Even though the language is different, I feel like the girls are very relatable. I see a little of myself in each of them: Amy’s vanity, Meg’s yearning for the luxuries she once knew as a child, Jo’s stubbornness and wish for freedom, and Beth’s tranquility.

It’s also cool to see the historical influences of the 1860s and the civil war on an “insignificant” family in the North.

It’s great that the author has already set a moral for the book. Be the best you can while having authenticity.

I loved the sentiment that Marmee isn’t all that beautiful. She’s quite ordinary, but ordinary in a sense of loveliness.

It does make me realize that I find my own mom to be quite beautiful, no matter how anyone else should perceive her. She is possibly the utmost beautiful woman I’ve ever met.

I think my favorite part so far was the preface. Learning about her childhood interested me much more than her observation of the birds. Perhaps it’s because I am not much of a birder, but I feel the repetition of “look out the patio, watch the birds, make observation” is not stimulating enough for my brain.

I do like that she personifies the birds and makes up little spats between them. Better personalities.

It makes me wonder: was this all a drug hallucination?

I love the fact that Dorian IS the portrait. You cannot get rid of one without getting rid of the other.

It is inconclusive. Dorian claiming a renunciation while using his misdeeds to falsify himself as a better man is still a missed. I’m glad her has owned his actions but still close to destroy the portrait than accept his sins. He should have confessed.

It is quite sad that Dorian, with all of his efforts, will never get the recognition of becoming a better person. Henry does not believe he needs to change as he doesn’t know Dorian’s sins.

Dorian may have been right when he said omen. Though, it is him that is the omen. Something happens to all those who associate with him.

Now I hear that Henry is getting divorced!

What a turn of events‽ Dorian has outlived his miserly end once again! I can’t believe that James decided to forsake his journey just to kill Dorian. Also, how did he know Dorian was going to be at Selby? And how were the Masters not informed that a random man was lurking around the grounds?

I love that James Vane has become the ghost of Sibyl to Dorian. Sure, there’s a very real chance of physical danger, but the emotional damage could prove to be more dangerous.

If we take the rumors at face value, Dorian frequents opium-dens often. This also leads to the theory that everything he has thought, experienced, and valued have been skewed by drugs. Dorian must be an unreliable narrator.

What a very close run in with James Vane‽ it makes me wonder: would Dorian have preferred James to have lulled him later on?

It’s cool that Wilde brings back characters Dotson screwed over.

I fear that murder has made Dorian mad. How does he expect to keep up a facade that everything is fine when Henry has the eyes of a vulture? He can sniff out any problem one has, and Dorian should know this as Henry was his teacher in such things!

It is quite coincidental that Henry was invited to this outing. It seems that we, the reader, haven’t heard of Henry in a while.

Dorian must be blind to reality.

I wonder what dirt Dorian had on Campbell to make him act this way? And what terrible things happened between them to make Campbell dislike Dorian so much to actively avoid him?

I fear the portrait is not the only thing being stained with Dorian’s wicked activities. The fear and terror he holds within is concerning.

How is Lord Henry not as paranoid as Dorian is now?

It’s fortunate that he knew Campbell.

How could Dorian kill Basil‽ Also, I love how all of his interests are laid out until he is 25.

In my mind, Dorian has a beard at 38, and big bushy eyebrows. Though, I suppose he wouldn’t look much different than his younger self due to the portrait stealing his age.

It’s interesting how Dorian made the decision to trick his valet into a false alibi. Smart on him, though.

Wtf was chapter 11?

I love how Dorian chose to start making perfumes because joining the Church is “what he ought to have done.”

He really doesn’t care about his effect on things anymore. As long as what he’s doing satisfies his curiosity, that’s all that matters.

It also seems that even though he’s lived all these wonderful interests, he’s still chained by his fear of discovery. Why not burn the painting?

I don’t understand why Dorian’s so paranoid over the portrait? If people haven’t seen it, they wouldn’t know it’s changed. The secrecy is probably making it worse.

Why did Wilde decide to include Mr. Hubbard? He didn’t need to move the painting himself. I also pictured him as having a monocle, being very short, and much too skinny.

I had to look up a bunch of words this chapter.

What secret has Dorian not revealed? I thought the painting’s difference was the secret? Or, rather, is Basil seeing the portrait considered his revelation?

Basil is possibly the only sane one of the group. Dorian SHOULD mourn Sibyl. And Harry knows exactly who’s to blame for his lack thereof.

The only reason I know what ennui means is because of the Gilmore Girls. Poor Michel!

Did Basil intentionally paint some “magic” to make it change? How could he know it would change without doing it purposely?

I might have spoken a bit too soon on many accounts. Oops …

Lord Henry is trying to make Dorian feel better, which is commendable, but let the man mourn his finance for a moment!

I can’t tell if I like Henry’s character or not.

I also dislike how Dorian just accepts that the painting will absorb his sins. Lord Henry truly is a terrible influence.

I would have been so embarrassed had I been in Dorian’s shoes. Sibyl is so selfish. Why would she ruin the great opportunity she has to make her own money and live supported like that? Let alone, Dorian’s comment on her art being who she is. Just shows Dorian’s shallowness as well.

And so the painting finally starts to change. He has yet to learn that there is no reversing cruelty or a sin.

Poor Basil. Nothing will be the way out way before. Hood muse is no longer suitable for musing and his friend, Lord Henry, is not concerned about Mr. Gray at all.

At what age does a man “come of age”? Just how old is Dorian Gray?

The Vane family is a sad lot. Poor because their mother fell in love with a married man, bore children out of wedlock, and sold her life to the theater. Sybil is following in her footsteps and the poor thing is too naive to understand her situation.

I know that Mr. Gray proposes to Sybil, but it makes me wonder if James saying that he’ll kill “this gentleman” is foreshadow? Does Dorian do bad things to Sybil?

Mr. Gray’s background is very surprising. He’s fortunate that wealth is passed too soon and not dispersed to charities.

“It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others we were really experimenting on ourselves.” pg 70

Does Henry only see Mr. Gray as a subject? It would be awful it that’s the case.

Mr. Gray acts VERY childish. It makes me wonder just how old he is?

From what I can see of Mr. Gray, he is changed from the very moment he meets Lord Henry. Henry’s influence is bad, indeed.

Lord Henry has a way of transfixing everyone he speaks to. He has a story of seductive manipulation to get what he wants. And is very popular while doing it.

“There is too much of myself in the thing, Harry…”pg 19. It makes me want to see a live rendition of this portrait.

Pg 31-32 - Henry really does seem to build up Mr. Gray and then tear him down for his own pleasure. Seeing the fear in Mr. Gray’s eyes must have pleased Henry’s assistive sense on humor.

Oscar Wilde gives Mr. Gray a hue of femininity; perhaps from his youth which must be more than 19 or so.

Basil gives Victor from Arcane vibes.

Lord Henry Wotton seems to be an ornery sort of man. If he could cause a man of peace some internal discourse, he would in a heartbeat.

Basil is very territorial over Dorian Gray. It’s almost as if he’s known Lord Henry for a long time and knows his character well enough to assume Henry would ruin his muse given the chance.