Sunday December 21st

"What had Dorian Gray had to do with Sybil Vane's death? There was nothing to fear. Dorian Gray had not killed her." Page 106


This passage stands out because of the way it is syntactically set up and the use of formal diction. The awkward syntax conveys a guilty side to Dorian’s conscious which makes Sybil's death appear more as a murder than a suicide. This notion throws Harry into question as Dorian has an alibi. These sentences convey the side of Dorian that prevails when he is not seemingly under Harry's spell- showing that there is good hiding in dormancy underneath the selfish notions that he has picked up.

Wilde's use of syntax and diction make these sentences stand out. The repetition and formal use of his full name make a statement of guilt- though in thought not necessarily action. The short, curt sentences that follow the first also make it seem as though the narrator is trying to convince the reader of Dorian's complete innocence. Syntactically the second sentence actually foreshadows danger coming into the near future of Dorian Gray.