The Effect of Self-Perception on the Conflict Between Illusion and Reality Pt.1

Illusions are generally viewed as the quintessence of escapism; through the creation of false ideals, one may find the motivation to alter an undesirable reality. An individual’s self-perception, or, identity, is responsible for the creation of these discrepancies between one’s illusion—that is, the perceived truth embedded in their idyllic concept of the world—and the reality of their existence. If an individual is unable to reconcile the conflict between ideals and reality, however, then said self-perception—and therefore, the illusion—must be altered to meet the truth of one’s existence. Otherwise, the individual will remain trapped within the duplicity created by the split in self-image, and thus be unable to create a meaningful identity. This is what occurs to the titular character in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. As Dorian’s self-perception changes due to the influence of those around him, his adopted illusion of class, wealth, and beauty diverges from the reality of his immoral actions, creating two distinct personas. Dorian’s attempt to hide the corruption of his soul under his ideals of hedonism results in paranoia and unfulfillment, ultimately leading to his death. Through Dorian’s undoing, Wilde demonstrates that self-perception, when responsible for the creation of illusions which do not match with one’s reality, will hinder an individual’s ability to lead a fulfilling existence; this is portrayed in the novel through Dorian’s changed identity, the creation of ideals that conflict with his actions, and his subsequent descent into corruption. In other words, because Dorian’s self-perception was rooted solely within his illusions, he was unable to perceive the truth of his actuality. As a consequence of this conflict remaining unreconciled, Dorian lost the opportunity to create a more stable identity, one rooted within his reality instead of deceptive illusions.

The first shift in Dorian’s self-perception can be attributed to Basil and Lord Henry’s influence; because they projected their ideals onto Dorian, he began to incorporate the illusions of beauty and youth into his identity. When Lord Henry says “beauty is a form of genius—is higher, indeed, than genius” (22) it is with the intent to dominate Dorian’s personality—Lord Henry desires control over a vacuous individual’s self-perception. Basil also contributes to forming Dorian’s obsession with appearances and youth through his reverence of the “young Adonis” who is “made out of ivory and rose-leaves” (3); by worshiping Dorian’s beauty, he reinforces the importance of a fleeting illusion, one which is impossible to maintain in one’s reality. As Dorian’s identity shifts due to the influence of his friends, he begins to associate his sense of self with unrealistic ideals, illustrating how an individual’s self-perception influences the illusions one adopts—these self-deceptive ideals, in turn, may conflict with the individual’s reality. This is precisely what happens to Dorian—he is aware the illusion of youth cannot be maintained into his old age, making him jealous of the inanimate objects—including his own portrait—which are able to maintain their artistry. Instead of resolving this conflict by altering his own self-perception by accepting the loss of beauty as an inevitable aspect of life, however, Dorian exclaims “Why should it [the portrait] keep what I must lose?” (27) thereby striking a Faustian bargain. At this time, Dorian fully embraces the illusory ideals perpetuated by his assumed self-perception; Wilde employs this moment to create the divide between Dorian’s illusions and his actuality, demonstrating the role one’s self-perception plays in the creation of conflict between illusions and reality. Essentially, Wilde argues that the transformation of one’s identity causes an individual to seek security within their sense of being through the embrace of the idyllic, despite the possibility of these illusions bifurcating from the truth of one’s existence. Dorian, however, does not take action to stop the changing of his identity—he is seduced by the concepts of hedonism and aestheticism supported by Lord Henry, and thus falls further into his illusions.