The Picture of Dorian Gray

The narrative explores themes of vanity and the desire for eternal youth through Dorian Gray's fixation on his portrait. As he contemplates the inevitability of aging and decay, he wishes for the opposite: that he could remain youthful while his portrait ages in his stead. This longing reveals his willingness to sacrifice everything, including his soul, highlighting the lengths to which one might go to escape the burdens of time and mortality. The story delves into the moral implications of such desires and the consequences of a life driven by superficiality.