The Picture of Dorian Gray

By Tanya Shah, B.A. Geography Honors

Design By Nandana Menon

If you're intrigued by eternal beauty, then "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is the perfect book for you(but be warned, it comes with a price.). Imagine having the ability to remain beautiful forever, with all your sins and moral decay hidden in a portrait that bears the consequences instead. Would you choose such a life, even sacrificing your soul?

This is the choice made by the protagonist of the story. The story follows a handsome young man named Dorian, who wishes to remain forever young while his portrait ages instead. As he indulges in a life of pleasure and selfishness, the portrait starts to show his inner ugliness, reflecting the decay of his soul. Meanwhile, he remains untouched by the ravages of time.

But this tale is more than just a story about a man who wishes to escape the consequences of his actions. It's a reflection of society and our desires. How far would we go to achieve perfection? At what point does our desire to escape the rules of morality lead to our downfall? The novel pushes us to think about what truly matters: a person's looks or actions. What really makes someone ugly? How much can vanity hide, and how far can one go before it all catches up with them?

The narrative illustrates how a corrupted soul consumes all the beautiful and kind-hearted people around it, mercilessly murdering the innocence of those who have faith in them. In his pursuit of beauty, Dorian loses his love and murders the artist who not only painted his portrait but was his true well-wisher. What does he gain in return? Just a fleeting existence of superficial beauty, ultimately leading to his ruin.

One lingering thought in the story is whether the picture is really changing or if it’s just where Dorian allows his conscience to show. Classified as a Gothic novel, a genre characterized by dark, mysterious, and often supernatural elements, it also weaves in philosophical reflections.If you’re fascinated by the complexities of the human soul and the dark side of vanity, this book will captivate you.It's the kind of story you don't quickly recover from.

Dive into this timeless tale and ask yourself: In a world that often values appearance over substance, are we not all, in some ways, Dorian Gray?