"The Painting"
Passage from "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
As the painter looked at the gracious and
comely form he had so skillfully mirrored in his art, a smile of pleasure
passed across his face, and seemed about to linger there. But he suddenly
started up, and closing his eyes, placed his fingers upon the lids, as though
he sought to imprison within his brain some curious dream from which he feared
he might awake.
"It is your best work, Basil, the
best thing you have ever done," said Lord Henry languidly. "You must
certainly send it next year to the Grosvenor. The Academy is too large and too
vulgar. Whenever I have gone there, there have been either so many people that
I have not been able to see the pictures, which was dreadful, or so many
pictures that I have not been able to see the people, which was worse. The
Grosvenor is really the only place."
"I don't think I shall send it
anywhere," he answered, tossing his head back in that odd way that used to
make his friends laugh at him at
Lord Henry elevated his eyebrows and
looked at him in amazement... "Not send it anywhere? My dear fellow, why?
Have you any reason? What odd chaps you painters are! You do anything in the
world to gain a reputation. As soon as you have one, you seem to want to throw
it away. It is silly of you, for there is only one thing in the world worse
than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. A portrait like
this would set you far above all the young men in
"I know you will laugh at me,"
he replied, "but I really can't exhibit it. I have put too much of myself
into it."
Lord Henry stretched himself out on the
divan and laughed.
"Yes, I knew you would; but it is
quite true, all the same."
"Too much of
yourself in it! Upon
my word, Basil, I didn't know you were so vain; and I really can't see any
resemblance between you, with your rugged strong face and your coal-black hair,
and this young Adonis, who looks as if he was made out of ivory and
rose-leaves. Why, my dear Basil, he is a Narcissus, and you—well, of course you
have an intellectual expression and all that. But beauty, real beauty, ends
where an intellectual expression begins... The moment one sits down to think,
one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid. Look at the
successful men in any of the learned professions. How perfectly hideous they
are!"
Reading
Comprehension Questions
1) Which of the following took place just before the
above passage begins?
a.
the painter chose a subject for a new painting
b.
the painter completed a new painting
c.
the painter sold a new painting
d.
the painter saw someone else's new painting
2) In the above passage, why doesn't the painter want to
exhibit his painting for others to see?
a.
it is too personal
b.
it is not his best work
c.
it will get him in trouble
d.
it is not the right time yet
3) Which of the following is the most likely setting for
the above passage?
a.
an art museum that displays paintings
b.
an office with paintings on the wall
c.
a studio where a painter works
d.
an art store that sells paintings
1) In the above passage, the character Lord Henry says, "there is only one
thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked
about." This means the same as which common expression?
a.
"all publicity is good
publicity"
b.
"children should be seen, not
heard"
c.
"actions speak louder than
words"
d.
"don't bite the hand that feeds
you"
2) According to the final paragraph of the above passage, the
character Lord Henry feels that which man would possess the most
"beauty"?
a.
a person who has achieved greatness in his field
b.
a person who is deep in thought on a difficult subject
c.
a person who can clear his mind of all thoughts
d.
a person who makes the most effort to stay clean
3) Based on the above passage, which of the following is
probably most important to the painter?
a.
admiration from fans
b.
widespread fame and fortune
c.
satisfaction with his work
d.
helping those who are less fortunate
Answer Key
1)
Which of the
following took place just before the above passage begins?
a.
the painter chose a subject for a new painting
b.
the painter
completed a new painting
c.
the painter sold a new painting
d.
the painter saw someone else's new painting
2)
In the above
passage, why doesn't the painter want to exhibit his painting for others to
see?
a.
it is too
personal
b.
it is not his best work
c.
it will get him in trouble
d.
it is not the right time yet
3)
Which of the
following is the most likely setting for the above passage?
a.
an art museum that displays paintings
b.
an office with paintings on the wall
c.
a studio where a
painter works
d.
an art store that sells paintings
4)
In the above
passage, the character Lord Henry says, "there is only one thing in the world
worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." This means the same as which common
expression?
a.
"all
publicity is good publicity"
b.
"children should be seen, not
heard"
c.
"actions speak louder than
words"
d.
"don't bite the hand that feeds
you"
5)
According to
the final paragraph of the above passage, the character Lord Henry feels that
which man would possess the most "beauty"?
a.
a person who has achieved greatness in his
field
b.
a person who is deep in thought on a difficult
subject
c.
a person who can
clear his mind of all thoughts
d.
a person who makes the most effort to stay
clean
6)
Based on the
above passage, which of the following is probably most important to the
painter?
a.
admiration from fans
b.
widespread fame and fortune
c.
satisfaction with
his work
d.
helping those who are less fortunate