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Narcissism in the picture of dorian gray and jerry maguire edited

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Comparative Narcissistic Study of The Picture of Dorian Gray and Jerry Maguire
The Picture of Dorian Gray and Jerry Maguire both portray narcissistic protagonists with
resembling personality traits and a superficial outlook on life. Throughout the novel and the film,
both characters lose their sense of ethics and morals but come to the realization in different ways.
While Jerry from Jerry Maguire is able to become a compassionate member of society through
his change of views and actions, Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray has less of a
desire to make such changes and loses himself in the horror of what he has become as mirrored
in the portrait.
Oscar Wilde, the author of The Picture of Dorian Gray, depicts his protagonist, Dorian,
as a handsome young man, a well-educated aristocrat and a talented musician. His grandfather
deprives Dorian of love, by disapproving him from a tender age, murdering Dorian’s father,
which leads to the eventual death of his mother. Brought up in an environment that lacks any
meaningful connection directly results in Dorian seeking himself as an object of desire, which
ultimately results to his narcissistic nature. Dorian barely has any meaningful relationships until
he meets Lord Henry and Basil. Henry’s admiration for Dorian’s lack of self-awareness and
beauty is apparent as he calls him “Prince Charming,” while Dorian admires Henry’s wit and
cynical views about the world around him. Basil also contributes to creating Dorian’s flawed
view of self, through adoration of Dorian’s physical attributes and projection through his

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painting. It was not until Dorian sees his lifelike portrait when he reveals narcissism by
becoming self-conscious about his appearance.
“When he saw it he drew back, and his cheeks flushed for a moment with
pleasure. A look of joy came into his eyes, as if he had recognized himself for the
first time. He stood there motionless, and in wonder… Basil Hallward’s
compliments had seemed to him to be merely the charming exaggerations of
friendship …Then had come Lord Henry, with his strange panegyric on youth
That had stirred him at the time, and now, as he stood gazing at the shadow of his
own loveliness, the full reality of the description flashed across him” (Wilde 40).
Dorian’s realization of his beauty was as momentous as his sudden recognition of the
frailty of his own attractiveness. He realizes that his beauty would one day fade away. How sad
it is! I shall grow old and horrid, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young”
(Wilde 42). At this point, there is the symbolic deal with the devil, in which Dorian admits that
he would sell his soul to preserve his youthful appearance while the portrait ages in his place.
Dorian’s narcissism is further brought to light upon the introduction of Sibyl Vane. She is an
actor and an object of obsession for Dorian. He falls in love with her performances to the extent
of professing his love for her. He invites Lord Henry to one of her performances, only for her to
perform poorly. This enrages Dorian to which he admits his disappointment to Sibyl. Dorian’s
broken heart suggests that he was not really in love with Sibyl, but rather in love with her craft,
which is a form of narcissism. Sibyl eventually commits suicide and at this point, Dorian notices
the discernable horrid changes to his portrait.

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Surname 1 Name Instructor Course Date Comparative Narcissistic Study of The Picture of Dorian Gray and Jerry Maguire The Picture of Dorian Gray and Jerry Maguire both portray narcissistic protagonists with resembling personality traits and a superficial outlook on life. Throughout the novel and the film, both characters lose their sense of ethics and morals but come to the realization in different ways. While Jerry from Jerry Maguire is able to become a compassionate member of society through his change of views and actions, Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray has less of a desire to make such changes and loses himself in the horror of what he has become as mirrored in the portrait. Oscar Wilde, the author of The Picture of Dorian Gray, depicts his protagonist, Dorian, as a handsome young man, a well-educated aristocrat and a talented musician. His grandfather deprives Dorian of love, by disapproving him from a tender age, murdering Dorian’s father, which leads to the eventual death of his mother. Brought up in an environment that lacks any meaningful connection directly results in Dorian seeking himself as an object of desire, which ultimately results to his narcissistic nature. Dorian barely has any meaningful relationships until he meets Lord Henry and Basil. Henry’s admiration for Dorian’s lack of self-awareness and beauty is apparent as he calls him “Prince Charming,” while Dorian admires Henry’s wit and cynical views about the world around him. Basi ...
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