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Chapter 16

Characters:
Dorian Gray
Adrian Singleton
James Vane

Summary

It is raining and Dorian watches the city as he rides along, his hat pulled over his forehead. He recites Lord Henry’s motto: “To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul.” Dorian knew he couldn’t permanently forget the terrible things he has done but he could at least for a while and the opium dens provided just the escape he needed. Dorian becomes extremely eager to have the opium in his possession, he commands the driver to go faster. Dorian finally arrives at a rundown alleyway and walks down to the squalor opium den. At the end of the room, there is a small staircase which leads up to a dark room and Dorian moves up the stairs as fast as he can.

Favorite Quotes:

“There were opium dens where one could buy oblivion, dens of horror
where the memory of old sins could be destroyed by the madness
of sins that were new.” ~Narrator

“Ugliness that had once been hateful
to him because it made things real, became dear to him
now for that very reason. Ugliness was the one reality.
The coarse brawl, the loathsome den, the crude violence
of disordered life, the very vileness of thief and outcast,
were more vivid, in their intense actuality of impression,
than all the gracious shapes of art, the dreamy shadows of song.
They were what he needed for forgetfulness.” ~Narrator

“Each man lived his own life and paid his own price for living it.
The only pity was one had to pay so often for a single fault.
One had to pay over and over again, indeed. In her dealings with man,
destiny never closed her accounts.” ~Narrator

“Make your peace with God,
for to-night you are going to die.” ~James Vane

Questions:

1. What do you think the woman meant when she yells out “There goes the devil’s bargain” as Dorian is about to leave?

2. What do you think about the scene where James Vane just pops out of no where to kill Dorian? Do you think James is justified in his pursue of vengeance against Dorian?

3. What do you think of Dorian’s lie to convince James he couldn’t possibly be the man James is looking for?

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