rought upon his soul, with a pity that was all the more poignant because it was purely selfish" (Wilde 93-94). Wilde shows how sickening it is that Dorian can find pleasure in corruptness. Lord Henry has influenced him to ignore his conscience, act sinful and become arrogant. Lord Henry's influence completely takes over Dorian's conscience and Dorian gains a horrible reputation from having a corrupted personality. However, Dorian denies his reputation. When Basil questions him and brings it to his attention, Dorian tells him, "I don't wish to know anything about them. I love scandals about other people, but scandals about myself don't interest me. They have not got the charm of novelty" (Wilde 109). More so than the lack of novelty, Dorian doesn't want to believe that he is bad. However, his reputation is truthful, and so is his conscience yet he prefers to ignore both of them. Therefore he feels no remorse for his negative actions. He justifies his actions and personality to Basil by saying, "Each of us has Heaven and Hell in him" (Wilde 115). This serves as a justification because he tells himself that he is no different from others. Dorian feels that if everyone has evil within him/her, then he is no different. Through Dorian's actions, Wilde confirms how people deny and ignore the truth and their conscience when being controlled by a negative influence. Nevertheless, when Dorian's life is threatened, he reevaluates himself and begins to listen to his conscience. He believes that if he does a good deed, then he will not longer be sought after and killed. He tells Lord Henry, "I want to be better. I am going to be better" (Wilde 155). Nevertheless, Wilde suggests that Dorian cannot get better unless he changes for the good of society. Dorian only wants to change and be good for selfish reasons; he does not want to die. Sadly for Dorian, he has been influenced for so long that it is near impossible for him to gain ...
