Characters

The people in this book act very differently than I expected. I find it strange the way they talk to one another. Firstly, Lord Henry is constantly going on long tangents about deeper life meanings. It is uncommon for a person to engage in lengthy monologues in everyday conversation. Not only does Lord Henry do this but also the other characters. Although I didn’t live during this time period, I find it hard to believe that everyone in late 1800s England is an experienced philosopher. The characters themselves however are constantly changing. Dorian Gray has been complemented on many occasions by Lord Henry and Basil Hallward. They always tell him how beautiful he is. This praise has made Gray more aware of his beauty and he is gradually getting more ignorant. This ignorance is especially apparent in Dorian’s relationship with Sibyl Vane. Gray is very mad to her for not being a good actress to the point where she killed herself. This behavior is much different than the humble Dorian that appeared in the earlier chapters. His sudden realization of his good looks has pushed him to the point where even he questions his own sanity. Gray’s closest friends, Lord Henry and Basil Hallward, have also changed on account of Dorian’s new behavior. They, especially Lord Henry, are extremely supportive of Dorian and are constantly praising him for his beauty. Overall, it seems as though all the characters have become obsessed with Dorian and now the entire plot revolves around him and his beauty.