The Picture of Dorian Gray Lesson Plan

What does Dorian's interaction with Alan show us about how far his character has fallen?

Dorian's cordiality towards Alan when his guest first arrives is a facade. His seeming reluctance to blackmail the man is insincere, an indication that Dorian actually takes pleasure from the manipulative power he holds over Alan. Alan is not fooled by Dorian's pretense of kindness, but has no choice but to comply with Dorian's wishes.

In this interaction, we witness how refined Dorian's capacity for social persuasion has become during the 18 years glossed over in Chapter 11. He has been a good student of Lord Henry, now equalling, or perhaps surpassing, the older man's powers of...