The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, tells of a man's gradual fall from innocence to corruption. Even the name of the main character of Oscar Wilde's story, Dorian Gray, is very symbolic because 'grey' is the combination of black and white, good and evil. In many ways, Dorian Gray is the epitome of humanity. Dorian Gray, an innocent and naive man, becomes corrupt after having a conversation with Lord Henry Wotton. It shows how easily people can be influenced and changed simply by the words of others. Society plays such a huge role in people's lives. As Thomas Babington says: “The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.” How much of the way we act is influenced by others? Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray is set in late 19th century England, a period characterized by the enormous importance of social stature and personal image. The protagonist, Dorian Gray, stands as an archetype of male splendor and youth. His aristocracy and extraordinary beauty fascinate everything around him. He often poses for his friend Basil Hallward, a very talented artist whose art is inspired by Dorian's undeniable charisma. While Basil's most extraordinary painting is nearing completion, Dorian is introduced to Lord Henry Wotton, a cynical philosopher and skilled orator. His manipulative tongue and theories easily seduce Dorian. Wotton says to Dorian: "When your youth is gone, your beauty will be gone too, and then you will suddenly find that there are no more triumphs for you, or you will have to be content with those petty triumphs that the memory of your past will make you bigger." bitter of defeats. Every month that passes brings you closer to something... middle of paper... the bad? This question does not lie beneath a set of mandatory rules, but rather deep within our consciousness. Lord Henry Wotton said: "There is no such thing as a good influence, Mr. Gray... to influence a person is to give him your soul. This is an interesting statement, for later Lord Henry himself transforms." in the bad influence, pulling Dorian's strings. The more time the two spend together, the more Dorian is influenced by Henry's startling declarations and is gradually transformed until almost nothing of his personality remains. Henry Wotton's vices become those of Dorian Gray and one begins to wonder which words or thoughts truly belong to Dorian. All this shows the weakness of the mind; how easy it is to be unconsciously controlled by others, mixing the impressions and thoughts of others with your own, without ever being able to distinguish.