The Picture of Dorian Gray, written by Oscar Wilde, is a thought-provoking novel that is set in a vibrant society. The main character is Dorian Gray, a young man who is extremely beautiful and handsome. He inspires people like the artist Basil, who paints a portrait of Dorian that represents beauty and youth as a whole. Later Dorian gets influenced by Basil’s friend Lord Henry, who is a sort of antagonist, and becomes “addicted” to his own youth and beauty and does wild things. Dorian makes bad choices and decisions, which slowly turns him from a protagonist into a villain. The novel presents a very unique plot as the main character sort of switches sides.

     Even though The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fiction novel, it explores real life problems and themes, including the impact of influence. In real life, many people are influenced by circumstances, those around them, and above all, their own choices. In this novel too, Dorian’s change is a consequence of the impact of influence. Readers may think that Lord Henry is the one who influences Dorian to change; however, Dorian’s own decisions influence him far more, and the way his life changes and ends are consequences of his own choices. Although Lord Henry is the one who tells him of the idea of wasting youth and inspires him to take everything from his youth, Dorian is the one who chooses to follow this bad advice. Later in the story, the crucial decisions, such as breaking up with Sibyl, stabbing Basil, and finally stabbing the portrait itself, are made by Dorian himself, that Lord Henry has nothing to do with. Therefore, one of the morals of the book in conclusion is that even though the circumstances and people around someone might influence the person, succumbing to those influences is his own choice and fault.

     Another unique point about this novel is that a non-living thing, the painting (or picture) of Dorian Gray, plays a huge role in the story and has a big influence along with being the book’s title. The portrait itself is a representation of Dorian’s influence and change. Oscar Wilde chose a unique way for the reader to see the change in both Dorian Gray’s life and personality. Instead of seeing the changes on Dorian himself, both he and the reader see it in a picture. Dorian remains with the same youth and beauty, whereas the portrait of him reflects all the consequences of his deeds and behavior. However, at the end of the day, Dorian doesn’t get away from them. All the ugliness transfers to him after he stabs the painting, and the painting regains the beauty and youth.

     In conclusion, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a captivating novel that explores the secrets of human nature and the price of beauty. Oscar Wilde's way of storytelling makes this book an unforgettable journey into the darkness of the human soul. It is a must-read for those seeking to explore the complexity of human mind.