Dorian Gray: Chapter 3

"Yes, he would try to be to Dorian Gray what, without knowing it, the lad was to the painter who had fashioned him the wonderful portrait. He would seek to dominate him-- had already, indeed, half done so. He would make that wonderful spirit his own. There was something fascinating in this son of Love and Death" (40).

• Dorian Gray is “a motive in art” (13) for Basil. Basil is fascinated by Gray’s personality and his very being inspires Basil to paint some of his best work. This is what Lord Henry wants to be for Dorian Gray. Realizing what influence Gray has had on Basil, Lord Henry longs be the same for Gray. Lord Henry wants to have an impact on Gray’s thoughts and actions, where Gray is enthralled by Lord Henry’s very presence. By impressing his own thoughts on Gray, Lord Henry is in fact obtaining a feeling of youth and beauty.

"To get back one's youth one has merely to repeat one's follies" (44).

• In this quote, Lord Henry explains his theory of how to regain one’s youthfulness. When a person is young, several mistakes are made but one never regrets making them. Therefore, in order to feel young, one must make the same mistakes so it can remind them of their youth. In doing so, the past experiences will evoke a sense of adolescence and vitality that may not be felt at the older age.
  

Definitions:

“I am told pork-packing is the most lucrative profession in America, after politics” (38).

Lucrative: (adj) profitable; moneymaking; remunerative

“He played with the idea, and grew willful…made it iridescent with fancy, and winged it with paradox.

Iridescent: (adj) displaying a play of lustrous colors like those of the rainbow