Essay on a scene from the Picture of Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray lives an easy going life :

- Dorian's valet takes good care of him, he pays attention to each and every details. O. Wilde writes "His valet had crept several times into the room on tiptoe to see if he was stirring". Here for instance, the valet moves on tiptoe to make sure not to wake Dorian up. "Finally his bell sounded, and Victor came in softly with a cup of tea", he also comes right away after being rung not to make his master wait. Dorian doesn't have to worry about anything, he can sleep until late in the afternoon, drink is tea like nothing else mattered in the world…

- Dorian doesn't look at any of the letters he received, were they from his friends - Lord Henry, from his acquaintances or from companies offering different services.

- He's wealthy since his chambers and furnitures are described and seem very expensive and beautiful. For instance, the "small tray of old Sèvres China", "the olive-satin curtains, with their shimmering blue lining", "the three tall windows", "a chased silver Louis-Quinze toilet-set",... He doesn't need to care about money since his guardians pay for everything "There was a rather heavy bill, [...] that he had not yet had the courage to send on to his guardians".

- Dorian thinks that "only unnecessary things are absolutely necessary to us", proving that all he cares about is very superficial and that he puts a lot of efforts in the way he looks to others.

Dorian lives a self-centered and disconnected life :

- He doesn't worry about opening or responding to the letters he received, proving that he cares mostly about himself. This is shown by the adverb "listlessly" and by the phrase "put it aside".

- Again, by buying the "chased silver Louis-Quinze toilet-set", he thinks about his unnecessary needs but not about who will pay for it nor about how expensive it may be. He wears an "elaborate dressing-gown" and cares a lot about his image.

- Moreover, Dorian feels "perfectly happy" even though Sybil died and the portrait changed showing Dorian’s true colors. "He seemed to have forgotten all that he had gone through." writes O. Wilde. He lives in a dream. A colorful and cosy dream, he "sat down to a light French breakfast, that had been laid out for him on a small round table close to an open window. It was an exquisite day. The warm air seemed laden with spices. A bee flew in, and buzzed round the blue-dragon bowl, filled with sulphur-yellow roses,". The colors are pale yet vivid, the atmosphere smells nice, he's served like a king, the day is promised to be beautiful. Who could dream of anything better?

- When he sees the portrait, he asks himself whether the portrait really changed or not. It worries him for a second and yet, he doesn't take it seriously and feels like telling Basil about it would be fun.

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