#4

    Oscar Wilde's, The Picture of Dorian Gray, talks of the concept of sin manifesting in the physical appearance of the sinner.  Often times people say that the looks of a man speak for his character.  Basil Hallward affirms this statement when he says, "Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man's face.  It cannot be concealed" (Wilde 109).  Dorian Gray would be the epitomy of this statement.  Instead Dorian's portrait takes on the physical manifestation of sin.  As Dorian delves further into a lifestyle of iniquity, his portrait bears the marks of his sins.  Each act of evil weathers the portrait further.  Dorian is able to hide the portrait of his soul from the world.  He goes about wearing the face of an innocent boy.  Through the portrayal of sin in Dorian Gray, Wilde argues that the lack of accountability born out of humanism does not produce better human beings.  Rather it creates more evil people.  Since Dorian calculates all actions based on the amount of pleasure that they will yield to him, he is willing to mar his soul at any cost.  He is not impeded by conscience because he is able to hide his actions from the world.  No one has proper proof of the wrongs committed by Dorian.  Wilde argues that people were held publicly accountable for their actions,society would be better.  In the case of Dorian Gray this is especially true.  If Dorian's portrait were publicized for the world to see, because of all the shame and guilt, he would be forced to stop engaging in immoral conduct.  In reality, Dorian is able to privately revel in his sin.  He watches his soul transform into the very likeness of evil.  He is not accountable to himself or to the world in which he lives, therefore he is able to continue to operate as an evildoer.  Dorian is a model for those in society that wear an outward mask of purity, yet on the inside hold souls of corruption.  If their souls were held open for all the world to see they would cease from immorality.