Egotistical, chauvinistic, and immoral behaviors are the cornerstones for this novel's conflict. The protagonist of the novel is introduced as a young Mr. Dorian Gray. Dorian is the object of fascination for everyone as he is the most beautiful man anyone has ever seen. The antagonist of the novel is Lord Henry Wotton, a bored aristocrat who finds pleasured in imposing his views and philosophies on anyone who will listen. The conflict is one of man vs. time or age as Dorian Gray runs from the ugliness of age throughout his life. He runs from it, but he is also fascinated with it, obsessively coming back again and again to look at the signs of age in the portrait.
             This obsession with time and age begins when Dorian Gray is introduced to Lord Henry, despite Basil's unwillingness. At first Dorian is a young, callow, and innocent philanthropist from a well to do family. Basil discovered him at a party one day and instantly fell in love with everything about him. Dorian is the fixation of numerous portraits by Basil and it is while Dorian is posing for one that he meets Lord Henry. Right from the start Lord Henry begins to impose his views on the youthful Dorian and has a strong influence on him. As they sit down, Lord Henry implores Dorian to enjoy his youth while he can for it does not last forever and will fade. This doesn't hit Dorian until he sees Basil's finished portrait and realizes now what Lord Henry meant by youth being so short-lived. He realizes the painting will always be beautiful and he will not. He wishes it were the other way around and curses the portrait.
             From then on throughout the novel the portrait symbolizes age or time; for every year and every sin the picture would become older. Dorian's first encounter with this conflict comes after he brings Lord Henry and Basil to see his love, Sybil, at the theatre. Sybil puts on a horrendous performance and Dorian is very embarrassed. He tells...