You've probably heard the expression: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." » In Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde discredits this proverb and shows that words can indeed take over life and damage it forever. In this novel, the reader witnesses Dorian Gray's fatal bargain, his temptation to explore lust, and his vain attempt to escape his narcissistic behavior. We see this corruption in Dorian as he faces life's difficulties, particularly because he is constantly under the influence of Lord Henry's influential words. Youth is a long-standing trait that many aspire to, but always elusive with mortality. The obsession with being young easily erodes many lives. When Dorian's reprehensible life is brought to light, the reader sees the fraud pushed to the extreme by death. Dorian's relentless quest to become imperishable is put into action the very day Lord Henry enters his life. Lord Henry recognizes Dorian's innocence and realizes how rare it is. As the trio gathers in Basil's workshop, Lord Henry decides to seize his opportunity and fill Dorian's good virtue with his cynicism. Lord Henry says: “When your youth passes away, your beauty will go with it, and then you will find that there is no other choice. you still have triumphs…” (p. 24). This quote suggests that youth is the only reason one can live and Dorian takes Lord Henry's opinions into consideration. In fact, he is amazed by his new knowledge. Lord Henry managed to control Dorian's thoughts in a very short period of time. Dorian's anxiety grows as he contemplates this message and changes his life forever by translating his evolving wickedness into painting. Throughout the novel, ...... middle of paper ...... he submitted to all the misery that he endured. He finally decides to start a new life with innocence. He is delighted with his decision and assumes that the portrait is now free of any defects. When he discovers that he still contains the sinful soul from his past, the only way to start again is to destroy the monstrous image. In doing so, Dorian unknowingly takes on the burden that the portrait carried and thus commits suicide. Throughout the novel, Dorian encounters and is trapped by the temptation of evil and becomes a victim of the words that changed and ended his life. He let the fantasy of youth control him, obsession engulf him, and hatred destroy him. Although Dorian eventually kills himself with the knife stained with Basil's blood, the influence of words alone proved to be the weapon that brought Dorian his demise..