The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde.
Working Plan.
PRE-READING TASKS
1. Wildes Biography (session 0).
2. Victorianism Summary (session 0).

WHILE READING
3. Exercises (sessions 1-4) and Vocabulary Boxes for each
chapter (5-6 words each)
AFTER READING
4. Essay: Discussion Topic (session 5)

English Literature Reading Guides

Year 2014/15.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde.
PRE-READING TASKS
WILDES BIOGRAPHY
Look up information in books, the novels back pages and internet.
Answer these questions and then, write a biography about Oscar Wilde.
1

Who is Oscar Wilde? (20-30 w)

Early Life: place of birth, date studies, family(30 w)
What did he look like? (30 w)
What was he like? (30 w)
Wildes private life: who is Lord Alfred Douglas and why is he important to Wildes
life?
Why was Wilde sent to prison? (40-50 w)
Main achievements:
first works, types of writing, most important works (40-50
w)
Wildess legacy. Conclusion. (30 words)

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde.
Session 0

PRE-READING TASKS

Students working sheet

2. Now, you are going
to attend a lecture about The
Summary

Victorianism. Write down notes and make an 80-word

summary with the most important facts.

Notes

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde
1st Session
After reading the first 5 chapters, answer these questions:
1. What is The Picture of Dorian Gray about? (20 w)

2. Write the names of the 3 most important characters in the book

and write a paragraph (40 words) for each describing who they
are and why they are important to the story.
Dorian Gray

Basil Hallward

Lord Henry
3

QUESTIONS CHAPTER 1
1. Whats Basils job?
2. Whats his last art work?
3. What does Dorian Gray look like?
4. What does Basil Hallward look like?
5. Why doesnt he want to look beautiful like Dorian?
6. Why doesnt Basil want to exhibit his picture in an art gallery?
QUESTIONS CHAPTER 2
1. Two months ago, Basil went to a party at Lady Brandons house,
what happened there?
2. How often do they see each other since then?
3. Why is Dorian so important to Basils life?
4. How old is Dorian?
5. Why doesnt Basil want Harry to meet Dorian?

QUESTIONS CHAPTER 3
1. What is the most important thing in life for Lord Henry?
2. Why is this so important?
QUESTIONS CHAPTER 4
1. Did Dorian Like the picture?
2. How did he feel about it?
3. and so he made a wish. What did he wish?
4. Now I hate it. Why does Basil hate the painting now?
5. Is Dorian in love with his portrait?

QUESTIONS CHAPTER 5
1. Where did Lord Henry go the next morning?
2. Why did he go there?
3. Who is Lady Margaret?
4. What is Lord Henry going to teach Dorian?

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 1

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 2

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 3

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 4

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 5

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde
2nd Session
After reading chapters 6-10, answer these questions:
1. How old was Sybil Vane?
2. Where was James Vane going?
3. Why didnt Dorian want to see Sybil again?
4. How had the face in the portrait changed?
5. How did Sybil Vane die?
6. Who told Dorian not to cry for Sybil Vane?
6

7. Why did Dorian hide his portrait in a locked room?

COMPOSITION
Choose ONE of the following writing topics:
1. Dorian broke up his relation with Sybil after the theatre
performance. That night he went home and discovered
something strange, a cruel smile, in his portrait. Then, he
decided to go back to Sybil and marry her.(chapter 8)
Imagine you are Dorian and write a letter to Sybil
explaining her how you feel, why you have changed your
mind and what you want to happen in the future with her.
(100 words)
2. Lord Henry brought bad news to Dorian: Sybil Vane is
dead. She killed herself last night at the theatre.
(chapter 9)
Imagine you are Sybil and write a good-bye letter to
Dorian telling him how you feel and why you have
decided to put an end to your life. (100 words)

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 6

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 7

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 9

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 10

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 8

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde
3rd

Session

Finish these sentences and make a summary of chapters 12

and 13.
1. One night Dorian met

2. Basil was on his way to

3. He told Dorian that he had heard

4. When Dorian heard these stories, he

5. Then, he took Basil to

6. When Basil saw the

7. Dorian suddenly felt

8. He pick up a

9. Then he locked
10. Before he went to bed

11. The next morning Dorian wrote

12. Alan Campbell used to be

13. Dorian asked Alan to

14. Alan refused at first but

15. Dorian took the scientist upstairs an d saw

16. When Campbell had left

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 12

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 13

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde
4th Session
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS (Chap 14 15)
1. Why did James Vane want to kill Dorian?

2. How did Dorian escape from James Vane?

3. How did James Vane die?

10

WHO SAID THIS AND WHY? (Chap 16)

1. No Harry, Ive done too many terrible things in my life, and
Im going to change. I began my good life yesterday in the
country. (20 words)

2. Some of the newspapers say so but, who would want to

murder poor Basil? (20 words)

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.

(Chap 17)

1. If I live a better life, the picture will become less ugly.

(Dorian) What happened next? (20 words)

2. He stared at the picture with hate and fear in his eyes.

Now he could not sleep because of it. What happened next?
(20 words)

11

3. Inside the house the servants talked in low, frightened voices.

After some minutes they went up to the room. What
happened next? (20 words)

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 14

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 15

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 16

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Vocabulary Box
Chapter 17

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde
5th Session
ESSAY: DISCUSSION TOPIC
Choose one discussion topic and write a 100-word text.
1. And there is nothing more important, more valuable than
beauty. Time is your enemy, Mr Gray. It will steal
everything from you. It`s today that is important. Chap 3.
2. What kind of person was Lord Henry? Was he a dangerous
person?
3. When we are happy, we are always good, but when we are
good, we are not always happy
12

My point of view (100 words)

Agree? Yes / No

GROUP WORK

13