[spoilers] Lucas. Just Lucas.

[KitKat385]

(23-11-2010 06:43 PM)Byatil Wrote:  I just get the feeling it might be a bit more complicated than that, seeing as Dasharvin seems to have a love of literature - when him and Lucas meet for the first time in 8.4, he remarks "So, this is Dicken's country." So I'm assuming Wilde/Grey are used for a specific reason relating to the context of the author and book... I'm just not quite sure what, haha. I seem to remember Wilde being a fairly controversial figure in his time?

Wilde wasn't the norm for society back then, that's for sure. Wilde was outcast from society towards the end of his life, and from what I've researched, it's because he was imprisoned for a couple years on the charge of sodomy. Apparently Wilde had quite a few younger male lovers, and his wife refused to let him see their two sons.

I just read the book a few weeks ago, and to be honest, I'm struggling to see much of a connection. Dorian stays forever beautiful, and the hidden portrait transforms into this hideous creature because of all his misdeeds. This doesn't really seem like Lucas. But perhaps Dorian and Lord Henry's relationship is supposed to related to Lucas & Dasharvin? It's Henry's negative influence, emphasizing how beauty and "fulfillment of the senses" is more important than anything else, that leads to the novel's events. Maybe Dasharvin is exercising a negative influence over Lucas, leading to him going against orders, etc. etc....? Perhaps Harry and the other spooks could represent Basil, who tries to stop Dorian many times and warns him not to associate with Henry.

It's an interesting book to choose, that's for certain. It's mostly about a superficial society and total emphasis on beauty that leads to a young man's destruction.