Oscar's work thrived on the realisation that he was gay, but his private life flew increasingly in the face of the decidedly anti-homosexual conventions of late Victorian society. As his literary career flourished, the risk of a huge scandal grew ever larger. In 1892, on the first night of his acclaimed play "Lady Windermere's Fan", Oscar was re- introduced to a handsome young Oxford undergraduate, Lord Alfred Douglas, nicknamed "Bosie". Oscar was mesmerised by the cocky, dashing and intelligent young man and began the passionate and stormy relationship which consumed and ultimately destroyed him. While Oscar had eyes only for Bosie, he embraced the promiscuous world that excited his lover, enjoying the company of rent boys. In following the capricious and amoral Bosie, Oscar neglected his wife and children, and suffered great guilt. And then the dragon awoke. Bosie's father, the violent, eccentric, cantankerous Marquess
" "He better not be anywhere near someone else's cookie," I said dryly. Reaching over, Gideon plucked half of mine out of my fingers. "Don't worry, angel. Your cookie is the only one I want." He popped it in his mouth with a wink. "Gag," Cary muttered. "Get a room." He cracked his fortune with a flourish, and then scowled. "What the fuck?" I leaned forward. "What's it say?" "Confucius say," Gideon ad-libbed, "man with hand in pocket feel cocky all day." Cary threw half his cookie at Gideon, who caught it deftly and grinned. "Give me that." I snatched the fortune out from between Cary's fingers and read it. Then laughed. "Fuck you, Eva." "Well?" Gideon prodded. "Pick another cookie." Gideon smiled. "Pwned by a fortune." Cary threw the other half of his cookie. I was reminded of similar evenings spent with Cary when I was attending SDSU, which made
Surviving death gives meaning to life and sharpens perceptions. 181 T H E W R I T E R ' S JOURNEY ~ T H I R D EDITION Christopher Vogler DISTORTIONS In other stories the conquest of death may lead to some distortions of perception. Heroes may suffer from an inflation of the ego. In other words, they get a swelled head. T h e y might turn cocky or arrogant. Perhaps they abuse the power and privilege of being a reborn hero. T h e i r self-esteem sometimes grows too large and distorts their perception of their real value. Heroes may be tainted by the very death or evil they came to fight. Soldiers fighting to preserve civilization may fall into the barbarism of war. Cops or detec tives battling criminals often cross the line and use illegal or immoral means, becom ing as bad as the criminals themselves
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