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After Dorian Gray abandons Sybil Vane, a young actress he was once completely infatuated with, he writes her an apologetic letter asking for forgiveness. Yet, Dorian does not care about reconciliation, he cares about personal reassurance. By simply admitting his misdoings, he believes his wrongs will be resolved and blame will be placed elsewhere. Although Dorian demonstrates self-reproach and regret on his mistreatment of Sybil, his shallow nature appears to fuel his growing pride and egotism.

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Aestheticism was at large when this novel was written, a movement that focused on beauty rather than meaning. Wilde emphasizes this ideal by periodically remarking upon the contrived meanings behind art, and the loss of its abstract capabilities. He portrays his belief that humanity acts too brashly on account of their feelings, and that art and its depth fuel irrationality. Hence, as man treats life as he would analyze art, he is driven by his heart, not the logic of his own brain.

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Lord Henry is the most controversial, bold, and dramatic character in the novel, but also the most articulated and honest. Well versed in philosophy and the inner workings of society, he provides witty commentary at polite social gatherings that are demoralizing, yet sincere and truthful. These aphorisms are especially impactful considering the ethics of Victorian society. By way of his humor and elegant verse, his personality is infectious and his words are horrifically captivating.

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Before meeting Lord Henry, Dorian Gray was pure, modest, and unaware of his good looks. Yet, after Lord Henry delivers a speech on the importance of youth in society, and how the world is at Dorian's fingertips, the latter becomes infatuated with his looks. Evidently, vanity clouds any sense of rational judgement, and he undergoes a perilous shift fueled by egotism. Throughout the course of the book, Dorian acts brashly and conceitedly in accordance with his inflated self-pride.

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As Basil Hallward looks at the portrait he created of Dorian Gray, he observes the visible, malicious degradation the subject's character. The hideous face on the canvas showcases the sin and evil deeds committed by Dorian, while Dorian himself remains youthful and beautiful. While his outward appearance remains unchanging, the corruption evident in the painting reveals Dorian's decline of character as he lives a life motivated by vanity and the effort to live a valuable life.

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In the middle of the novel, Lord Henry delivers to Dorian the "yellow book," which recounts the adventures and philosophies of a protagonist motivated by pleasure. Enthralled by a life of such luxury and political deviance, Dorian becomes obsessed with the book and all the more hedonistic. The book symbolizes Lord Henry's dominance over Dorian, and the damaging influence art can have over an individual.

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Perhaps the most apparent symbol in the novel, the portrait represents Dorian's degradation of character. His immoral actions are reflected in the painting as he takes pleasure in viewing the corruption of his soul without visibly bearing the consequences. It also represents how art with meaning can lead to an individual's undoing. Dorian's eventually reacts horrifically to the portrait, leading him to kill Basil and later himself.

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Throughout the novel, even in the first line, flowers appear. In the exposition, Dorian turns to flowers after Lord Henry's speech of the power of youth and beauty. Additionally, Dorian appears to buy or deliver flowers at important moments in the book, such as when manipulating others or for his own pleasure. They symbolize the brevity of beauty and provide a stark contrast to the prolonged deterioration of Dorian's soul.

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Lord Henry often demonstrates his belief that beauty is the most powerful entity that exists. He believes that since beauty is an unquestionable observance, it reigns over intelligence. He believes that no intellectual can be beautiful, as intellects are marred by scars of thought, and that only the shallow refuse to judge appearances. Here, the frequent theme of the supremacy of youth and beauty is displayed.

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Through the theme of the importance of youth and appearance, Lord Henry manipulated Dorian into thinking that beauty is everything. Lord Henry instills Dorian with the notion that the latter possesses uncannily good looks, and with these looks he can do anything. This thought is what drives Dorian to commit atrocious deeds and act in accordance to his vanity and increased sense of self-worth.

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Youth is a characteristic that can only be attained for a short period of time, and this idea is emphasized throughout the novel. While it is short lived, youth is in abundance, and is an important, universal value. Here, Lord Henry demonstrates the superficial nature of society, portraying his belief that both he and the rest of society value youth as the greatest human feat.

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After Dorian kills Basil Hallward, the evil deed is reflected in Dorian's self-portrait. Blood, shiny and realistic, appears on his hands in the canvas. Because Dorian has already disposed of the body, the next plausible solution is to destroy the painting, the last piece of evidence against him. Yet, Dorian does not know that if he destroys the portrait, he will destroy himself, leading to his ultimate downfall.

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Dorian portrays his naïveté by believing that destroying the painting will dispose of all the shame, and plausibility of his misdoings. If he obliterates the painting, he will be free, but he fails to realize that although his appearance has not changed over the years, his soul has undergone irreversible corruption. In a way, he correctly assumes that by killing the past, he frees himself from sin.

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The ultimate resolution of the novel occurs when Dorian finally attempts to destroy his portrait by slashing it with a knife. As soon as he does so, he collapses and dies. When found, Dorian is withered, wrinkled, and old, while the portrait possesses none of the malice and corruption it previously showcased. Dorian could not escape his sins, exemplifying the art is in fact meaningless.

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This novel portrays truths through way of aphoristic statements. By doing so, Wilde could create a work that was in no way realistic, but contained universal truths. For example, in the Victorian era many books were deemed immoral, get Lord Henry points out that immoral literature is ethically controversial because it portrays to the world its own shame and guilt to act naturally.

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Lord Henry also challenges typical human convention throughout the novel. He ponders freedom of thought and honestly considers the negative consequence of manipulation. He declares that all influence is bad, and it deprives an individual of his own thoughts, opinions, virtues, and journey to self-discovery. An influenced individual is  an echo of someone else, a mirror or their soul.

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The Victorian era was a time when social etiquette was strict, rigid, and universally practiced. In the novel, Lord Henry often, truthfully points out the hypocrisy of this society. He declares that manners are deemed more important than morals, and no words are dares to be said that harm the elite. Additionally, no one is ready to believe anything against the upper classes.

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Upon reading the "yellow book," Dorian faces an irreversible internal conflict. Although its captivating nature enthralls and captivates him, the words seem to trouble him. His life begins to revolve around the book as he buys multiple copies and dedicates years to reading and re-reading the work. Its ideologies infect his mind with unachievable fantasies and further fuel his search for a perfect, youthful life.

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Although Dorian was pleased at the thought of observing the disassociated consequences of his sin, he eventually comes to loathe the portrait, especially after he kills Basil. The deed of murder is not what troubles Dorian, but the memory of it. He feels shame and guilt, and remarks upon wanting to escape from his life. Here, the corruption of his soul begins to take its toll.

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When Dorian was enthralled with Sibyl Vane, he battled between his feelings for her and Lord Henry's views of the situation. Lord Henry believed that Dorian was foolish, young, and naive, and that his feelings for Sibyl were not true. Although this theory turns out to be correct, at the time, Dorian was hopelessly in love with Sibyl, and battled between Lord Henry's pure logical reasoning and his heart.