Stephen Dedalus from “ A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ” written by James Joyce and Dorian Gray from “ The Picture of Dorian Gray ” written by Oscar Wilde, go through many life alterations. These two narratives are in a ways similar to each other. Where the two chief characters go though important transmutation and how they are influence by faith and equals. Equally good in the manner the writers wrote the novels by utilizing symbolisms to develop the characters throughout the novel besides play a function in these two narratives.

“ A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ” tells a narrative of Stephen Dedalus how decides to project off all his societal, household, and spiritual restraints to populate a life devoted to the art of composing. As a immature male child he attends a rigorous spiritual get oning school called Clongowes Wood College. Stephen is lonely and homesick at the school but as clip passes he finds his topographic point among the other male childs. He likes is visits place, even though household tensenesss run high after the decease of the Irish political leader Parnell. As they had a Christmas diner the decease of Parnell becomes the subject. Simon, Stephen ‘s male parent, is awkward with money and the household sinks deeper and deeper into debt. Stephen realizes that his household can non afford to direct him back to Clongowes, and that they will alternatively travel to Dublin. He attended a esteemed twenty-four hours school called Belvedere there is where he grows to make highly good as a author and as an histrion in the pupil theatre. His first sexual experience with a immature Dublin cocotte unleashes a storm of guilt and shame in Stephen. He ignores his spiritual instruction, throwing himself with morally incorrect abandon into a assortment of wickednesss like onanism and more visits to cocottes. Then on a three twenty-four hours spiritual retreat, Stephen hears a tri of ardent discourses about wickedness, judgement, and snake pit. Deeply jolted Stephen resolves to rededicate himself to a life of Christian piousness. Stephen begins go toing Mass every twenty-four hours became Ming a theoretical account of Catholic piousness abstention and self denial. His spiritual devotedness is so marked that the manager of his school asks him to see come ining the priesthood. After a brief sing the offer Stephen realizes that priestly life is utterly incompatible with his love for animal beauty. Awaiting intelligence about his credence to the university Stephen goes for a walk on the beach, were he observes a immature miss wading in the tide. He is struck by her beauty and realizes in a minute of epiphany, that the love and desire of beauty should non be a beginning of shame. Stephen moves on to the university where he develops a strong friendly relationship with Cranly. In a series of conversation with his comrades, Stephen works to explicate his theories about art. While he is dependent on his friends as hearers, he is determined to make an independent being, liberated from the outlooks of friends and household. Stephen becomes more and more determined to liberate himself from all modification force per unit areas, and finally decides to go forth Ireland to get away them.

In the narrative “ The Picture of Dorian Gray ” tells a narrative of Dorian Gray a wealthy and beautiful immature adult male who curses his destiny and pledges his psyche if merely he could populate without bearing the physical Burnss of aging and transgressing. In the London place of his aunt Lady Brandon the good known creative person Basil Hallward meets Dorian Gray. Dorian sits for several portrayals and Basil frequently depicts him as an ancient Grecian hero or a fabulous figure. Basil painted a portrayal of Dorian as he truly is but as he admits to his friend Lord Henry the picture disappoints him because it reveals excessively much of his feeling for his topic. Lord Henry enjoys shocking his friends by observing young person, beauty and the selfish chase of pleasance ; he disagrees claiming that the portrayal is Basil ‘s chef-d’oeuvre. Dorian enters the studio and Basil introduces him to Lord Henry and he fears that he will hold a detrimental influence on the immature Dorian. Lord Henry disturbances Dorian with a address about the transeunt nature of beauty and young person. Dorian concerns that his most impressive features are melting twenty-four hours by twenty-four hours and curses his portrayal which he believes will one twenty-four hours remind him of the beauty he will hold lost. In hurt he pledges his psyche if merely the picture could bear the load of ageing leting him to remain everlastingly immature. Lord Henry ‘s influence over Dorian grows stronger. The young person becomes a adherent of the “ new Hedonism ” and proposes to populate a life dedicated to the chase of pleasance. Dorian falls in love with Sibyl Vane a immature actress who performs in a theatre on London ‘s slums. Overcome by her emotions for Dorian, Sibyl decides that she can no longer act. She wonders how she can feign to love on the phase now that she has experienced the existent thing. Dorian who loves Sibyl because of her ability to move he cruelly breaks his battle with her. After he leaves the theatre he returns place to detect that his face in Basil ‘s portrayal of him has changed. It is so when he fears that that his want for his similitude in the picture to bear the sick effects of his behaviour has come true and that his wickednesss will be recorded on the canvas. The undermentioned afternoon Lord Henry brings intelligence that Sibyl has killed herself. At Lord Henry ‘s pressing Dorian decides to see her decease a kind of artistic victory and to set the affair behind him. Meanwhile Dorian fells his portrayal in a distant upper room of his house where no one other than he can watch its transmutation. Lord Henry gives Dorian a book that describes the wicked feats of the 19th century Frenchman it becomes Dorian ‘s Bible as he sinks of all time deeper into a life of wickedness and corruptness. Dorian lives a life devoted to earning new experiences and esthesiss with no respect for conventional criterions of morality or the effects of his actions. His equals however continue to accept him because he remains immature and beautiful. The picture, nevertheless, grows progressively horrid. One dark Basil Hallward arrives at Dorian ‘s place to face him about the rumours that pestilence his repute. They argue and Dorian finally offers Basil a expression at his psyche. He shows Basil the now horrid portrayal and Basil horrified begs him to atone. Dorian claims it is excessively late for repentance and putting to deaths Basil in a tantrum of fury. To dispose of the organic structure Dorian employs one of his physician friend how garbages to assist Dorian but at the terminal he helps his because Dorian blackmails him. The dark after the slaying Dorian makes his manner to an opium lair where he encounters James Vane the fuss of Sibyl and efforts to revenge his sister decease. Dorian so escapes to his state province while entertaining guest he notice James Vane peering in through a window and he becomes wracked by fright and guilt. A runing party by chance shoots and putting to deaths Vane, Dorian feels safe once more. He resolves to amend his life but can non rally the bravery to squeal his offenses, and the picture now reveals his supposed desire to atone for what it is hypocrisy. He picks up the knife he used to knife Basil and efforts to destruct the picture. There is a clang, and Dorian ‘s retainers enter to happen the portrayal unharmed demoing Dorian as a beautiful immature adult male. On the floor lies the organic structure of their maestro an old adult male, dreadfully wrinkled and disfigured, with a knife plunged into his bosom.

First over the class of the novels this two characters went through several transmutation. Stephen Dedalus first transmutation was during his first old ages as Clongowes, he goes from a sheltered small male child to a bright pupil who understands societal interactions and can get down to do sense of the universe around him. The 2nd occurs when Stephen sleeps with the Dublin cocotte he went from artlessness to a evildoer. The 3rd transmutation occurs when Stephen hears Father Arnall ‘s address on decease and snake pit he went from an impenitent evildoer to a devout Catholic. Finally, Stephen ‘s greatest transmutation is from close overzealous devoutness to a new devotedness to art and beauty. That transmutation took topographic point in chapter 4 when he is offered entry to the Jesuit order but refuses it in order to go to university. Stephen ‘s refusal and his subsequent epiphany on the beach grade his passage from belief in God to belief in aesthetic beauty. This transmutation continues through his college old ages. By the terminal of his clip in college, Stephen has become a to the full formed creative person, and his diary entries reflect the independent person he has became.

In contrast with Dorian Gray, he went through several transmutations every bit good. Dorian ‘s first transmutation to me was when he was introduce to Lord Henry he went from being this immature beautiful male child, near minded individual to a selfish individual with an compulsion towards his beauty. His 2nd transmutation was when he breaks Sibyl ‘s bosom. She being lacerate it drives her to suicide herself. This is the point where Dorian foremost notice the portrayal that Basil had painted of himself starts to alter. Here is where Dorian reveals that his pledge of remaining immature everlastingly and his portrayal taking the side effects of ageing are going true. As Dorian ‘s wickednesss grow worse over the old ages, his similitude in Basil ‘s portrayal grows more horrid. He seems to miss a scruples but the desire to atone that he finally feels illustrated that he is so human. Dorian 3rd transmutation would be when he murders his friend Basil. He is unable to deflect himself from the dissipation of his psyche. Although in the yesteryear he has been able to be sweep opprobriums from his head, he can non agitate the idea that he has killed his friend Basil. Dorian ‘s guilt tortures him unrelentingly until he is forced to travel away with his portrayal. Throughout this transmutation non both of the characters went through a good alteration. Stephen Dedalus transmutation went for a good 1, good at least for him. As for Dorian ‘s transmutation it went all bad from the beginning to the terminal.

Besides these two characters have in common that they in their ain manner were influence and allow themselves acquire influence by others. Stephen Dedalus was influence by his household, his Catholic religion, and Irish nationality. Brought up in a devout Catholic household Stephen ab initio ascribes to an absolute belief in the ethical motives of the church. As a adolescent, this belief leads him to two opposite boundaries. At first, he falls into the extreme of wickedness, repeatedly kiping with cocottes and intentionally turning his dorsum on faith. Though Stephen sins wilfully, he is ever cognizant that he acts in misdemeanor of the church ‘s regulations. Second, when Father Arnall ‘s address prompts him to return to Catholicism, he bounces to the other extreme, going a perfect, close overzealous theoretical account of spiritual devotedness and obeisance. Finally Stephen realizes that both of these life styles the wholly iniquitous and the wholly devout are extremes that have been false and harmful.

Dorian Gray influence are to a great extent largely by Lord Henry believes and his xanthous book given to Dorian by Lord Henry. The xanthous book has a profound consequence on Dorian, act uponing him to preponderantly immoral behaviour. Reflecting on Dorian ‘s power over Basil and make up one’s minding that he would wish to score Dorian in much the same manner Lord Henry points out that there is “ something awfully enchanting in the exercising of influence. ” Falling under the moving ridge of such influence is possibly ineluctable but the fresh finally censures the forfeit of one ‘s ego to another. Basil ‘s worship of Dorian leads to his slaying and Dorian ‘s devotedness to Lord Henry ‘s hedonism and the xanthous book precipitate his ain ruin. As this two characters go through influences they at a point interruption apart. Stephen Dedalus does non desire to take a wholly degenerate life, but besides rejects severe Catholicism because he feels that it does non allow him the full experience of being human. He reaches a determination to encompass life and celebrate humanity after seeing a immature miss wading at a beach. To Stephen the miss is a symbol of pure goodness and of life lived to the fullest. In comparing to Dorian ‘s influences it is small admiration in a novel that prizes individuality the uncompromised look of ego that the forfeit of one ‘s ego, whether it is to another individual or to a work of art, leads to one ‘s devastation.

The writer ‘s manner on composing their novels with symbolism enables them to develop their characters. In “ A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ” by James Joyce, Joyce uses several symbolisms to develop his character Stephen Dedalus. Stephen associates the colourss green and maroon with his governess, Dante and with two leaders of Irish opposition, Parnell and Davitt. In a dream after Parnell ‘s decease, Stephen sees Dante dressed in green and maroon as the Irish people mourn their fallen leader. This vision indicates that Stephen associates the two colourss with the manner Irish political relations are played out among the members of his ain household. Another symbolism that Joyce uses is Emma. Emma appears merely in glances throughout Stephen ‘s immature life, and he ne’er gets to cognize her as a individual. Alternatively, she becomes a symbol of pure love, untainted by gender or world. Stephen worships Emma as the ideal of feminine pureness. When he goes through his piously spiritual stage he imagines his wagess for his piousness as a brotherhood with Emma is heaven. When he is at the university he eventually has a conversation with Emma. Stephen ‘s diary entry sing this conversation portrays Emma as a existent, friendly and slightly ordinary miss, but non as a goddess Stephen before makes her out to be. His position if Emma mirrors Stephen ‘s forsaking of the extremes of complete wickedness and complete devotedness in favour of a in-between way, the devotedness to the grasp of beauty. Joyce besides establishes H2O as a duplicate symbol of birth and decease. Water imagination in the Portrait my point toward pleasance or hurting, life or decease, or it may be used to propose both at one time. Stephen fears the sea since he views it as an emblem of his ain futility but it is the seaboard epiphany which awakens him to the demands of life. In chapter five it is where Joyce exploits ‘s the antithetical value of H2O. Joyce wrote “ He drained his 3rd cup of watery tea to the settlings and set to masticating the crusts of fried staff of life that were scattered near him, gazing into the dark pool of the jar. The xanthous drippage had backed to his memory the dark turfcoloured H2O of the bath in Clongowes ” . Here the tone of the linguistic communication has been radically changed, the symbolism reversed, and this disconnected reversal emphasizes the alteration in Stephen ‘s province of mine.

As for “ The Picture of Dorian Gray ” the writer Oscar Wilde besides uses symbolism in his novel. Wilde ‘s uses the colour white as Dorian ‘s way from figure of artlessness to a figure of debasement. White connotes artlessness and blankness, as it does when Dorian is foremost introduced. It was “ the white pureness ” of Dorian ‘s boyhood that Lord Henry finds so bewitching. Basil invokes whiteness when he learns that Dorian has sacrificed his artlessness and as the creative person stares in horror at the destroyed portrayal he quotes a scriptural poetry from the book of Isaiah “ Though your wickednesss be as vermilion, yet I will do them every bit white as snow ” those twenty-four hours were over for Dorian artlessness. When the colour appears once more in the signifier of James Vane ‘s face “ like a white hankie ” peering in through a window, it has been transformed from the colour of artlessness to the colour of decease. It is this endangering chill that makes Dorian long at the terminal of the novel, for his “ rose-white boyhood, ” but the hope is in vain, and he proves unable to rinse away the discolorations of his wickednesss. Wilde besides uses the opium dens as a symbol. The opium dens represent the seamy province of Dorian ‘s head. He flees to them at a important minute. After killing Basil, Dorian seeks to bury the dreadfulness of his offense by losing consciousness in a drug-induced daze. Although he has a case shot of opium in his place, he leaves the safety of his neat and proper parlour to go to the dark dens that reflect the debasement of his psyche. Finally, Wilde uses James Vane as a symbol every bit good. James is less a credible character that an incarnation of Dorian ‘s anguished scruples. As Sibyl ‘s brother he is instead level imitation if the revenging comparative. Looking at the dock and subsequently at Dorian ‘s state estate, James has an about shade spectral quality. James appears with his face “ like a white hankie ” to spur Dorian into accepting duty for the offense he has committed.

Overall these two novels “ A portrayal of the Artist as a Young Man ” and “ The Picture of Dorian Gray ” the chief characters Stephen Dedalus and Dorian Gray undergo through life alterations. Stephen Dedalus development throughout the fresh went germinating to populating a good life as he grow up he shut all his influences and develop his ain pickings him where he wants to be in life. As for Dorian Gray his development as he grows did non win. He was ever influence throughout the novel he did non make anything to delight to the people he was being influence by and at the terminal it end it up in calamity.

Work Sited

Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. New York: Viking, 1916

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Oxford, 2006

Litz, A. Walton. James Joyce. Boston: Twayne, 1966