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Available Reading Circles

Upcoming Reading Circles

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The next series of English reading circles is planned to begin in June.

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Because each group is intentionally kept small (a maximum of seven members) to allow thoughtful discussion, the exact start date may shift slightly depending on when groups are fully formed.

 

This ensures that each circle begins with a complete group of engaged readers, creating the best possible atmosphere for conversation and shared exploration of the text.

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If you are interested in joining, you are very welcome to register your interest now.

Example 12 Week Syllabus

The Picture of Dorian Gray (WARNING!!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!)

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A glimpse into the pacing, depth, and linguistic focus of our circles. We read at a slow, deliberate pace of roughly 20–30 pages per week to ensure deep comprehension and rich discussion.

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Week 1: The Studio & The Philosophy

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  • Reading: Preface & Chapters 1 – 2

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  • Thematic Focus: Aestheticism, the worship of youth, and the nature of influence.

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  • Language Spotlight: Decoding Oscar Wilde’s famous "aphorisms" (witty, philosophical one-liners) and the vocabulary of visual art.

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Week 2: The Pact & The Aristocracy

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  • Reading: Chapters 3 – 4

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  • Thematic Focus: Lord Henry’s manipulative rhetoric and Dorian’s introduction to high society.

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  • Language Spotlight: Formulating arguments and expressing abstract philosophical concepts in English.

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Week 3: The Illusion of Love

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  • Reading: Chapters 5 – 6

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  • Thematic Focus: Sibyl Vane, the working-class contrast, and falling in love with "art" versus reality.

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  • Language Spotlight: Victorian social vocabulary and analyzing differences in class-based dialogue.

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Week 4: The Performance & The Cruelty

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  • Reading: Chapters 7 – 8

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  • Thematic Focus: The tragic performance, Dorian's cold rejection, and the first terrifying change in the portrait.

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  • Language Spotlight: Advanced adjectives for describing shifting emotions, heartbreak, and sudden coldness.

Week 5: Paranoia & The Hidden Room

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  • Reading: Chapters 9 – 10

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  • Thematic Focus: Basil’s interrogation, hiding the painting, and the birth of Dorian's paranoia.

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  • Language Spotlight: Verbs and phrasing related to concealment, anxiety, and psychological dread.

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Week 6: The "Poisonous" Book & Years of Decadence

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  • Reading: Chapter 11

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  • Thematic Focus: A deep dive into the passage of time, hedonism, and obsessive collecting.

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  • Language Spotlight: Navigating incredibly dense, highly descriptive, and sensory-rich 19th-century syntax.

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Week 7: The Confrontation & The Macabre

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  • Reading: Chapters 12 – 13

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  • Thematic Focus: The fateful reunion with Basil Hallward and the descent into physical violence.

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  • Language Spotlight: Analysing how authors use sentence length and punctuation to build narrative tension.

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Week 8: The Cover-up & The Dinner Party

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  • Reading: Chapters 14 – 15

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  • Thematic Focus: Blackmailing Alan Campbell and returning to the glittering, hypocritical world of high society.

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  • Language Spotlight: "Reading the room" – how to understand subtext when characters use polite dialogue to mask dark secrets.

Week 9: The Underworld

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  • Reading: Chapter 16

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  • Thematic Focus: The opium dens of London, escaping one's conscience, and the return of a ghost from the past.

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  • Language Spotlight: Gritty, atmospheric vocabulary used to describe urban decay and desperation.

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Week 10: The Hunt & The Psychological Terror

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  • Reading: Chapters 17 – 18

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  • Thematic Focus: The shooting party, the fainting incident, and the inescapable weight of guilt.

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  • Language Spotlight: Expressing psychological terror and discussing the concept of "karma" or cosmic justice.

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Week 11: The Climax & The Soul

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  • Reading: Chapters 19 – 20

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  • Thematic Focus: Dorian’s attempt to be "good," the final confrontation with the portrait, and the tragic resolution.

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  • Language Spotlight: Analysing conclusive moral arguments and summarizing complex character arcs.

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Week 12: Retrospective & Synthesis

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  • Reading: No new reading.

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  • Thematic Focus: The lasting legacy of Oscar Wilde, the duality of human nature, and final takeaways from the text.

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  • Language Spotlight: High-level debate, synthesizing 12 weeks of learning, and celebrating your linguistic progress!

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