Something that I found interesting in The Picture of Dorian Gray was that unlike the other novels we’ve read, Dorian’s monstrosity is the result of an external force, ie. Lord Henry. Even in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which has some similar themes of duality, Jekyll’s monstrosity comes from within not without. It’s clear from the story’s progression that Dorian likely would have retained some of his innocence if Lord Henry had never met him. With that in mind, if we think about what warning Oscar Wilde intended to make with this book, perhaps don’t let yourself be easily influenced by others was the main goal.
