Right...Well...

The pod-cast thing didn't exactly work.
Probably has everything to do with the fact that I'm working with the most rudimentry of tools; I think I heard my Dell chuckle to itself as I plugged in the microphone.

Anyway, news.

I visited East Anglia this weekend on a post-offer open day.
If I get the grades, I think I will definatly go there.
The campus is lovely, the accomodation interesting and the course fantastic.
Anyone else looking to study Biology there next year, give me a shout =]

Half term finished almost a week ago...
What a shit week.
I don't much want to go into detail, but going back to school was the best bit.

REVIEW TIME

Now, the review today is actually a book I've read many times.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Stephen Fry first piqued my interest about Wilde, so I found a copy of his only published novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and set about reading it.
It's a dosie.
Wilde is a genius with words, but the language and themes in the book are a world away from our modern day literature.
The story follows the life of the main protagonist Dorian Gray; an extraordinarily handsome man, and, to a lesser extent, his two friend Lord Henry "Harry" Wotton and Basil Hallward.
Basil is a well-known, but not hugely famous painter who has a chance meeting with Dorian at a social gathering. He is instantly struck by the boy's good looks and over time believes the boy (for he is no older than 20 when we first meet him) is responsible for his improvement in his art. Basil paints a stunning portrait of Dorian, but refuses to exhibit it, claiming he has put too much of himself into the painting, and that anyone who views the picture will see how Basil idolises Dorian.
Without giving too much away, Dorian curses the picture's good looks, even if they are his own, and prays that the picture would age and not himself. This prayer comes true and the novel then looks at the ramifications of this form of immortality.

The book focuses on many themes; love, vanity, mortality, art and language.
Wilde seems to not only offer an addictive story, but also a number of opinions and stances on the aforementioned topics. The prologue, only recently added, focuses purely on art as a medium for emotional release.

Although very challenging to read at times, it is an example of flawless story telling. Not only is the plot a unique one, it also raises interesting questions.
What if us, and us alone, could see our sin displayed before us? While the rest of the world see's only a face of perfection?

But, dear reader, I implore you.
Please, read the book before you watch the film.
It's an age old saying that the book is better than the film, but this is quite different.
The book has more to say than a film ever could.
The beautiful prose Wilde writes does not portray well onto the screen, it can only be enjoyed on paper.

You may also like to know that Oscar Wilde never referred to it as 'The Portrait of Dorian Gray', and I'd ask that you'd do the same.

I believe I have bored you enough, but I must encourage you to read this book.

Emily

Quote of the day:
We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.
All art is quite useless.
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde - Preface

I'm sorry it's been so long...

Today I shall be attempting the first of my audio-blogs.
It'll probably be a reading of this, plus some ramblings of things that come into my brain.

As soon as interesting things start happening, this written blogs (blessays as I shall call them, after the lovely Stephen Fry) shall be much longer.

Emily x

Quote of the day:
Listen close to everybody's heart, and hear that breaking sound.
Hopes and dreams are shattering apart, and crashing to the ground
My eyes - Dr Horrible's sing along blog