He wrote in one of his letters that the three main characters in this story are three parts of himself. He said, “ Basil Hallward is what i think i am; Lord Henry what the world thinks me; Dorian what i would like to be - in other ages, perhaps”
"And now I feel that I've given myself to somebody who thinks my heart is a flower. A pretty flower that he can enjoy for a summer's day, and forget tomorrow."