This piece is derived from Oscar Wilde’s Importance of Being Earnest. In the story two main characters, Algernon and Jack, get caught up in their lies of being someone who they are not. Jack Worthing develops a method of lying about his brother who is irresponsible and needs his assistance in town often, allowing him to leave his country home periodically to live a separate live in the city. Algernon Moncrieff also has a method of lying for his own advantage, also a fake brother who is chronically ill to get out of his duties of dinner and other societal expectations. He also then fakes the identity of Jack’s made up brother in order to court Jack’s niece. The art piece depicts the two characters, Jack on the top row and Algernon on the bottom. The characters are shown twice each, once normally, and once with a mask over their faces. The masks represent the characters lies, and false identities. Like their lies, the masks are only fronts and …show more content…
The characters perform acts of lies and deceit, the opposite of honesty and earnest. This is one of Wilde’s main tactics in his story called The Importance of Being Earnest which is filled with lies and deceit. The colors displayed behind the character symbolize their motives too. Green is the color of greed and selfishness, displayed behind Masked Algernon who displays multiple signs of greed and selfishness. Purple which is a symbol of wealth and nobility is displayed behind normal Algernon who lives a lavish life being a member of he upperclass and apart of a rich family. Red can symbolism passion which is masked Jack’s backdrop because of his passion for Gwendalen. Yellow represents summer and sunshine, ideas that remind one of the country which is where Jack lives and hence the reason it is displayed behind