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Many character’s backstories determines their actions and how they influence others. Example: how Dorian grows up in an abusive environment and why he acts the way he does, also Henry - growing up in an upper class background and how his childhood / backstory shaped his persona.

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A life of pleasure, yielding to temptation, and repression of sin leads to the destruction of one’s self. Only through acknowledgement, repentance, and acceptance of sin is a person’s identity able to grow and develop.

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In The Picture of Dorian Gray, the deep-rooted meaning of flowers and their appearances are used as a method to reflect how the characters in the story work to deceive someone as a form of a fantasy. They are a symbol of manipulation, but also a symbol of innocence, the characters reflect the two different sides; The thorns of evil or the petals of purity.

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There is the paradox of the existence of a soul within art. According to Lord Henry, art has a soul, and man does not. But people put themselves into art, so does that mean one loses his own soul when he creates art? In addition, Dorian is often described as art, and he is put on a “pedestal” (V1 somewhere), which might imply he has a soul. And Lady Narborough comments in Vol. 2, “you were not thought of at the time” (39), implying he is a work of art. But then in the end Dorian is the art, and the painting was the real him, which then suggests (if we go back to Henry’s point), that Dorian does have a soul. Or does he?

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The flowers in Dorian Gray represent innocence and foreshadow events in Dorian’s life.

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The purpose of art is to be purposeless, and the only thing it should be is beautiful.

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Books are dangerous for it makes a person susceptible to influence. For example, the book given to Doria
n from Henry captivates him for years, shaping him into the debaucherous person he became.

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Although influence from others may adversely affect a person’s morality and character, one’s own beliefs and actions are more directly responsible toward developing these aspects. To what extent is Lord Henry responsible for the person that Dorian has become?

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The struggle of conforming to society and finding one’s own self-identity. For example, Dorian and Sibyl both are stuck between finding who they are and what their role is in society, as Sibyl is influenced by the characters that she plays and Dorian by Henry.

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The role of enemy can be transferred. For example, Henry could be considered an enemy because he is the one who implants not-so-pleasant ideas into Dorian's mind, which Dorian tries to fight on different occasions. As a class, we agreed that Henry is a negative influence on Dorian. After that, Dorian is the enemy because he has adopted the ideas to fit him, and later he tries to fight that negative influence that is now embedded in him.

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The young mind can be influenced and corrupted by knowledge, thus it must be sheltered from outside influence

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Throughout the whole novel, the characters seem to be trapped in their own fantasy worlds. Rather than living in the present, the characters tend to live vicariously through others, as well as alternate versions of reality.

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A subtle concept in the novel is how one can be affected so deeply/strongly by an influence and at the same time, have no reciprocating effect on the influence (as in the influence is unaffected by them).

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The inability to understand society fuels one's evil actions and prevents them from stopping.

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The color white threaded throughout the novel invokes a harsh contrast between innocence and corruption. Dorian often relates his boyhood to a “white purity”, but as he becomes more corrupt when Dorian orders flowers he asks for “as few white ones as possible.”

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The flowers in Dorian Gray represent the paradoxes present throughout Dorian’s life. The flowers are trivial but also dominating, and are very weak but also have the power to destroy. They also appear beautiful on the surface while having negative traits that are not initially seen.

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Innocence is the key that opens the gates to a path of destruction and death, as one needs to be inherently corrupt to navigate life successfully.

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Ignorance is a fatal flaw. Have you noticed that Sibyl, Basil, and Dorian all fail to recognize society for what it is? They are all stuck in their ways; whether living in a fantasy, relying solely on the success of art, or ignoring outside influences, they are not in touch with society. Thus, they all die by the end of the novel, whereas all knowing, successful Lord Henry continues to live.

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The flowers/ roses have the power to hypnotize someone/ create chaos and confusion despite being a symbol of tranquility. For example the symmetry in a flower’s petals are similar to the idea of a double identity.