I try to avoid books with an image of the characters on the cover. The publisher takes away the blank canvas that I can fill with my own representation, and it's just impossible to lose the character that's sort of forced on you after having seen it. (That's why I liked these versions of the HP-covers best).
That made me think: If my image was so different from the cover artist's, how different would it be from that of other readers? I decided to make it an experiment.
The book needed to be interesting enough that people would have it on their reading list anyway - a classic, I figured - but not popular enough to have it made into a movie, so the canvas would still be blank. The Picture of Dorian Gray was a good fit. It's also not too long. I know there is one or two movies, but they're so obscure that it was safe to assume none of my friends had seen it.
Nine book-loving friends were excited to participate. Five managed to finish the book.
They all sat down for half an hour with the same artist I hired to do a forensic-style sketch, like an eyewitness would do for the police. I spied on a few sessions and it took an awkward minute or five to get the basic features and get used to instructing the artist, but when the first face was on the screen they got into this instruction-mode ("the hair is a bit darker", "give him some bags under his eyes", "no, no beard"). The results are here.
Some conclusions based on the sketches and everyone's experience with the experiment:
- Henry's look differed quite a bit in the participant's minds, as you can see. The similarities were mostly in the way his personality was expressed: three out of the five told the sketch artist to change the neutral mouth he drew to a smirk. A fourth told me - without prompt - after the drawing session that he wanted to make that change but didn't because he was already over time.
- Two participants told me that the image in their mind was still taking shape when they were going through the drawing instructions. It wasn't a fixed picture. I've noticed this with books I've read after the experiment: a character can be more heavy-set or older in one scene than the other, for example.
I'm pleased with the results! The whole experiment was an inspiring thing to do. What do you think? Do you recognize the conclusions in your own
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I do not agree with anything Lord Henry says, but he is one of the most quoteable characters of all time. I highly recommend Picture of Dorian Gray, it's a great read.
The book and plot is absolutely amazing ofcourse. But, I was especially interested in Lord Henry's part. I truly think that our lives are shaped 99% by the people we are surrounded and interact with, we are just a random mixture of different people around us. And sometimes out of this randomness we get inspired, and that inspiration is what paves path for us, consciously and sub-consciously.
Dorian's Life seemed to be the perfect example of this. How Lord Henry's deep yet explicit remarks were taken in by Dorian, and how they had made such huge impacts on him and his life were the whole story.
Henry was the catalyst we all experience in our lives once at least, whose impacts on us are quick and long lasting. I had a teacher once who had such an impact on me, and has made my life what it is today.
For me, the theme of the book was, how strong,sudden, random and unexpected influences can shape our whole life, without any realisation. Inspiration really comes out of nothing, as it can come out of anything.
247: https://247sports.com/Player/Henry-Gray-46051388/
Tweet: https://twitter.com/D1bound_zay2121/status/1174805212885848065?s=20
Gray signed with Nebraska as part of the Class of 2020 and enrolled there in January. He is a Miami native and entered the Portal on May 29 and cited an "unanticipated family situation" as the reason for his transfer.
https://247sports.com/Player/Henry-Gray-46051388/
Screenshot for non-believers: https://imgur.com/ofZZSIf
Was here on a visit for the NIU game so that must have had some sway. Seems like he was a big Florida favorite before this.
Hey, at least he didn't transfer to another B1G school.
I’ve absolutely fallen in love with Oscar Wilde’s character Lord Henry. His wit, silver tongue & the embodiment of all thing hedonistic left me waiting each time to see him in a chapter. Are there any books with a character like this that you all have encountered? Thanks!
