“In the hypocrisy he had worn the mask of goodness. For curiosity’s sake he had tried the denial of self. He recognized that now” (Wilde 228).

One of the main components to Dorian’s fall into sin was is self denial. Dorian purposely detached himself for reality because he was too selfish to deal with it. Dorian did not have the time to feel pain, sorrow, or vulnerability. He wanted to be happy and life in a fantasy because to life was all about being young and living a shady life which he tried to passed of as great. His life was everything but filled with happiness and satisfaction. He did not have anything that made him content. Dorian had keep indulging in ridiculous thing because he feels good for a minute then it all goes away so he has to keep doing it over and over again to always have the same satisfaction. Dorian was like any old addict, they have to keep indulging in their vice to keep. The worst thing about, Dorian was that he was able to have everything someone could ever want and then more. One must try to get at the corps of the novel and answer the most important question of all, “What does it profit a man if he gain he whole world and lose…his own soul” (220). Well, Dorian did not profit from anything. Because he lived like the character in the book that Lord Henry gave him. He had nothing to work for, Dorian is living life trying to find something that is not there and it was never worth loosing his soul over. Finally years later he realizes that he lived a very purposeless life.

“It is the death Basil Hallward that weighed most upon his mind. It was the living death of his own soul that troubled him. Basil had painted the portrait that had marred his life. He could for forgive him that. It was the portrait that had done everything” (226).

This train of thought is probably Dorian’s justification for killing Basil. Murder is nothing that should be condoled but Dorian feels like Basil is at fault for it his tragic end. Basil painted the portrait took his soul. He feels like Basil has taken something that is dear to him and he had to pay for it. No one had to right to make kill someone; nonetheless, most people have reasons behind the things they do. Dorian lived a life of corruption and felt it was all Basil’s fault. It is kind of typical of Dorian to pass the blame on someone else but it is understandable that he resents Basil for creating that monstrous thing that took his soul.