{"id":377,"date":"2016-03-30T21:50:11","date_gmt":"2016-03-30T21:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/britishlit\/?p=377"},"modified":"2018-09-02T22:05:07","modified_gmt":"2018-09-02T22:05:07","slug":"the-picture-of-jean-ralphio-saperstein","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/britishlit\/2016\/03\/30\/the-picture-of-jean-ralphio-saperstein\/","title":{"rendered":"The Picture of Jean Ralphio Saperstein"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dorian Gray is narcissistic, spoiled, and petulant. He frequently is described as infantile, especially as the years pass and he does not age. From his first appearance in the novel he is described as a \u201clad\u201d, possessing a \u201cwilful, petulant manner\u201d when he complains about sitting for Basil (16). His youth and beauty are inextricably linked, unfortunately along with his juvenile behavior. A modern fictional character who also embodies these characteristics is Jean Ralphio Saperstein from the tv show <\/span>Parks and Recreation. <\/span><\/i>Jean Ralphio is the trust fund baby of Pawnee\u2019s local businessman\/obstetrician Dr. Saperstein who indulges Jean Ralphio and his twin sister Mona Lisa with requests for cash but acknowledges their multitude of personality flaws. Jean Ralphio is seen to consistently fail at business and resorts to schemes such as being hit by a car (see video at 6:16-6:42) for the insurance money. He is vain about his appearance and flirts with virtually every female character in the show, as well as several male characters, hinting at a bisexual identity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though beauty is seen as more important in both Dorian and Jean Ralphio, their personality flaws are not overlooked by the other characters of their fictional universe. Dorian Gray is first described by Basil Hallward to Lord Henry Wotton as \u201cthis young Adonis\u2026.a Narcissus\u2026[his] real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins\u201d (6). Dorian is compared to the classic Greek ideals of beauty but Basil is quick to acknowledge that Dorian is neither wise nor mature. Basil sees this as a minor fault of Dorians, as his beauty is often to make him Basil\u2019s muse but Henry sees this fault as an opportunity to mold Dorian in his own image, much like a god. Henry admits that he doesn\u2019t mind when his friends are not at his intellectual level like his enemies, he likes his friends for their appearance and \u201cchoose[s them] for their good looks\u201d (11). He values beauty above intelligence in his friendships because he gains more from the careful manipulation of someone immature like Dorian over the intellectual conversation of someone wiser like Basil.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Jean Ralphio is not molded after any influence in his life, but greatly resembles Tom Haverford and vice versa. Both young men are obsessed with fashion, women, and power. The difference between them lies in the willingness to put in actual work for their dreams (video at 8:15-9:18). As the series progresses, we see Tom Haverford progress in his governmental and personal business careers, despite several setbacks. Jean Ralphio always has his family money to fall back on, and so his ambition wanes as his professional failures mount. The gif below is from when his twin sister announces she is pregnant, and he realizes the amount of responsibility involved in helping to raise a child. His lack of serious ambition eventually breaks most of the ties he has with his closest friend Tom, much like Dorian\u2019s new found appreciation for the luxuries found in the yellow book and lack of aging drives away many of his former lovers and friends. Both men rely too much on their looks and wealth to avoid serious work and taking responsibility for their actions, which alienates them from their friends and reveals their vain and indolent personalities.<\/span>
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Below are some key sections of this video which are most easily compared to Dorian Gray, but the entire video is worth the watch.<\/span><\/p>\n

5:55-6:15 Discussing subtle shades of black for a mourning armband.<\/span><\/p>\n

6:16-6:42 \u201cI got run over by a Lexus\u201d – gaining money through insurance fraud.<\/span><\/p>\n

8:15-9:18- Conducting his own business is too much work- life of a wealthy socialite.<\/span>
\nNote: I own the Vintage Classics edition, and so my page numbers differ from the assigned edition.<\/span><\/p>\n