Basil Hallward kindly paints a portrait of Dorian Gray and gives it to him to keep. During this moment in the passage, this portrait of Dorian changes dramatically. Dorian’s originally beautiful face in the portrait now has a brutal expression to it. Because of this change, Dorian is fully drawn to the portrait and studies its alterations very closely. While observing the portrait, he begins to question the reason behind its transformation. As Dorian continues to think of the intent, he becomes frightened and notices how this sudden transformation correlates to his change in personality. Dorian recognizes how this portrait is now an obsession of his that will guide him throughout the rest of his life. On the other hand, Dorian …show more content…
Within the passage, art’s purpose goes along with the idea that it can affect a person in more than just a visual way. Based on Dorian’s strong interest in the portrait as it changes, this shows that art has more of a mental affect on him than visual. A piece of artwork is the simple explanation for this life-changing event that Dorian is currently going through. Then the power of youth and beauty is also emphasized in the sense that they are the reason behind Dorian’s popularity in his society and the artist, Basil Hallward’s, intensity in needing to pain him to begin with. Youth and beauty also give Dorian the chance escape the horrors of life that surround him beyond this passage. He develops admiration for beautiful items such as jewelry, cultural tapestries, and music later on in the novel. These items keep him from recognizing the frightening items he encounters like the changing portrait. Negative influence also brings out the worst in Dorian. At the beginning of the novel, Dorian is a beautiful young man who appreciates true love and good company, such as Basil Hallward. Once he is influenced by the cynical views of Lord Henry, Dorian changes into the cruel man who treats Sibyl with brutality over her weak performance. Subsequent to that scene, Sibyl kills herself with poison. This …show more content…
Dorian feels ashamed for the way he treats the woman he loves the night before. The narrator’s descriptions include Dorian writing a letter to Sibyl, trying to make up for his lack of kindness shown towards her. This suggests that Dorian feels sympathetic towards Sibyl’s emotions and wants to earn her forgiveness back. This also proposes that women’s issues exist within this situation since Dorian’s anger must have affected her so heavily in order for a man like himself to care enough for the forgiveness of a woman with lower social standards such as