Comments on: The Man in the Attic http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/ JFK: ''we choose to go to the ...'' Tue, 22 May 2012 14:27:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Seth Finkelstein http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21880 Seth Finkelstein Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:52:01 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21880 I'd say it's close enough for the allusion - arguably the part about "his Neverland Ranch and its amusement-park rides, with his lost-boy “friends” " could be about the "moral/immoral actions" aspect. Even if it was just about age/appearance, that should be sufficient, since that's a large part of what the portrait symbolizes. I don't think the writer is wrong to make a reference for one aspect even if other aspects are unmentioned (and not contradictory). I’d say it’s close enough for the allusion - arguably the part about “his Neverland Ranch and its amusement-park rides, with his lost-boy “friends” ” could be about the “moral/immoral actions” aspect. Even if it was just about age/appearance, that should be sufficient, since that’s a large part of what the portrait symbolizes. I don’t think the writer is wrong to make a reference for one aspect even if other aspects are unmentioned (and not contradictory).

]]> By: Jess http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21872 Jess Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:11:43 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21872 Charlene got it right - the protrait wasn't simply an aged Dorian - it was Dorian with his horrible, horrible sins revealed in his face. He was hideous because his life was spent doing immoral acts. Based on the excerpt from Seth, the Newsweek writer still got it wrong because he only referenced age and physical appearance, not his moral/immoral actions. Charlene got it right - the protrait wasn’t simply an aged Dorian - it was Dorian with his horrible, horrible sins revealed in his face. He was hideous because his life was spent doing immoral acts.

Based on the excerpt from Seth, the Newsweek writer still got it wrong because he only referenced age and physical appearance, not his moral/immoral actions.

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21868 Seth Finkelstein Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:19:27 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21868 No, the writer used it correctly, it's clearer in the full context of the paragraph: "In middle age, he consciously took on the role of Peter Pan, with his Neverland Ranch and its amusement-park rides, with his lost-boy "friends" and with what he seemed to believe was an ageless, androgynous physical appearance—let's hope he believed it—thanks to straightened hair and plastic surgery. (No one—least of all Jackson himself—would have wanted to see the Dorian Gray portrait in his attic.)" That is, he used plastic surgery to appear young (even if bizarre), while his real appearance was a ravaged countenance from the combination of aging, illness, injury, stress, and side-effects of all the surgery. No, the writer used it correctly, it’s clearer in the full context of the paragraph:

“In middle age, he consciously took on the role of Peter Pan, with his Neverland Ranch and its amusement-park rides, with his lost-boy “friends” and with what he seemed to believe was an ageless, androgynous physical appearance—let’s hope he believed it—thanks to straightened hair and plastic surgery. (No one—least of all Jackson himself—would have wanted to see the Dorian Gray portrait in his attic.)”

That is, he used plastic surgery to appear young (even if bizarre), while his real appearance was a ravaged countenance from the combination of aging, illness, injury, stress, and side-effects of all the surgery.

]]> By: Powers http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21837 Powers Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:47:15 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21837 Why would Michael Jackson have a portrait of Dorian Gray anyway? Pinocchio, sure, but Dorian Gray? I didn't know he was a fan. Why would Michael Jackson have a portrait of Dorian Gray anyway?

Pinocchio, sure, but Dorian Gray? I didn’t know he was a fan.

]]> By: Charlene http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21811 Charlene Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:55:14 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21811 I agree that it's muddled, but I suspect age had little to do with it. Dorian Grey's painting turned ugly not because of aging but because of Dorian's wicked, immoral, disgusting acts. This may have been an attempt to point out that the real problem many have with Jackson is not his music or his plastic surgery but his reputation as a child molester who only avoided conviction because the judge and/or jury were starstruck. I agree that it’s muddled, but I suspect age had little to do with it. Dorian Grey’s painting turned ugly not because of aging but because of Dorian’s wicked, immoral, disgusting acts. This may have been an attempt to point out that the real problem many have with Jackson is not his music or his plastic surgery but his reputation as a child molester who only avoided conviction because the judge and/or jury were starstruck.

]]> By: Pinny http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21803 Pinny Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:48:30 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21803 If I remember the end of "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" correctly, when Dorian finally died, the "magic" ended: His body changed to what it would have looked like while the portrait reverted back to his handsome younger self. Therefore in this case, the picture would look pretty good, now that MJ has died. If I remember the end of “The Portrait of Dorian Gray” correctly, when Dorian finally died, the “magic” ended: His body changed to what it would have looked like while the portrait reverted back to his handsome younger self.

Therefore in this case, the picture would look pretty good, now that MJ has died.

]]> By: CIDU BIll http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21802 CIDU BIll Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:45:48 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21802 Agreed, Ploughman. My over/under for Jackson was always 50, so I guess I pretty much nailed this one. Agreed, Ploughman. My over/under for Jackson was always 50, so I guess I pretty much nailed this one.

]]> By: The Ploughman http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21800 The Ploughman Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:24:57 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21800 Though there has been plenty of eulogizing, there's also a peculiar sense of inevitability surrounding the whole thing. Put it this way: which would be stranger - the sudden, somewhat mysterious death of Michael Jackson that has occurred or a world where Michael Jackson grows older and is still alive thirty years from now? Though there has been plenty of eulogizing, there’s also a peculiar sense of inevitability surrounding the whole thing. Put it this way: which would be stranger - the sudden, somewhat mysterious death of Michael Jackson that has occurred or a world where Michael Jackson grows older and is still alive thirty years from now?

]]> By: Judge Mental http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21799 Judge Mental Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:56:39 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21799 There is actually are multiple ways to look at this: - The writer got it backwards. In Dorian Gray, the real person stayed young (and attractive), and only the picture aged (and became unattractive). If you assume the portrait does the opposite of the real person, then in Jackson's case, theoretically the portrait would remain young and attractive. - The writer got it correct. If the portrait is an aged (uglier) version of the living person, then in Jackson's case that would be one hideous looking portrait - The writer muddled the reference. (IMHO, I think this is really what is at play here. ) In order for the reference to really be applicable, all of Jackson's surgeries would have kept him youthful and attractive. The writer just didn't think through his analogy. There is actually are multiple ways to look at this:

- The writer got it backwards. In Dorian Gray, the real person stayed young (and attractive), and only the picture aged (and became unattractive). If you assume the portrait does the opposite of the real person, then in Jackson’s case, theoretically the portrait would remain young and attractive.

- The writer got it correct. If the portrait is an aged (uglier) version of the living person, then in Jackson’s case that would be one hideous looking portrait

- The writer muddled the reference. (IMHO, I think this is really what is at play here. ) In order for the reference to really be applicable, all of Jackson’s surgeries would have kept him youthful and attractive. The writer just didn’t think through his analogy.

]]> By: padraig http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21796 padraig Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:39:40 +0000 http://comicsidontunderstand.com/wordpress/2009/06/30/the-man-in-the-attic/#comment-21796 Keera, Dorian stayed young and GOOD looking. His nose did not fall off as far as I recall. Although I haven't re-read the original in a while... Keera, Dorian stayed young and GOOD looking. His nose did not fall off as far as I recall. Although I haven’t re-read the original in a while…

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