Oscar Wilde; Critical Essay
....It is the cause for Dorian's downfall and death. Lord Henry, who enjoys manipulating people to calm his hedonist feelings, spots Dorian's vulnerability immediately. He plants a seed of terror in the young lad and by imposing his radical, yet catchy theories of life. His beauty, Henry say’s, is a gift that will not last long. Therefore he should take advantage and pursue youthful tasks. This critical essay explains that two major themes reoccur through out the novel, they are conflicts and influences. One major influence is the effect of Lord Henry on young Dorian Gray. Dorian was nieve of his looks before he met Henry, but since the encounter, Dorian now realizes that he is much more beautiful than the rest of society and that his beauty can make him famous and innocent. This influence that Henry has placed in the impressionable Dorian Gray, has left him corrupted and ultimately socially crippled though the remainder of his life...