--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did not want any external influence in…" description: "\"“I did not want any external influence in my life. You know how independent I am by nature. I have always been my own master; had at least always been ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/oscar-wilde-16_life_i-did-not-want-any-external-influence-in_1905566.jpg" --- # I did not want any external influence in my life. You know… ![“I did not want any external influence in my life. You know how independent I am by nature. I have always been my own master; had at least always been so, till I met Dorian Gray.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/oscar-wilde-16_life_i-did-not-want-any-external-influence-in_1905566.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/oscar-wilde-16_life_i-did-not-want-any-external-influence-in_1905566.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/oscar-wilde-16_life_i-did-not-want-any-external-influence-in_1905566.jpg) > ““I did not want any external influence in my life. You know how independent I am by nature. I have always been my own master; had at least always been so, till I met Dorian Gray.”” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He values independence and self‑mastery, fearing external influence until meeting Dorian Gray. **In simple terms:** He prized independence until Dorian Gray changed him. Key Takeaway Guard personal autonomy while staying open to growth. Themes independence self‑mastery influence Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - career choices - relationships - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism identity self‑control Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance independence with collaboration? - When might external influence be beneficial? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on autonomy can isolate you. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dorian Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dorian-gray/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ## Related quotes > [“He is all my art to me now," said the painter gravely. "I sometimes think, Harry, that there are only two eras of any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-is-all-my-art-to-me-now-said-the-painter-gravely-i-sometimes-think/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Yet one had ancestors in literature as well as in one’s own race, nearer perhaps in type and temperament, many of them, and certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/yet-one-had-ancestors-in-literature-as-well-as-in-one-s-own-race-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Unconsciously he defines for me the lines of a fresh new school, a school that is to have in it all the passion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/unconsciously-he-defines-for-me-the-lines-of-a-fresh-new-school-a/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“that. As long as I live, the personality of Dorian Gray will dominate me. You can’t feel what I feel. You change”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/that-as-long-as-i-live-the-personality-of-dorian-gray-will-dominate/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“A fit of passionate sobbing choked her. She crouched on the floor like a wounded thing, and Dorian Gray, with his beautiful eyes, looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/a-fit-of-passionate-sobbing-choked-her-she-crouched-on-the-floor-like/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There were times when it appeared to Dorian Gray that the whole of history was merely the record of his own life, not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-were-times-when-it-appeared-to-dorian-gray-that-the-whole-of/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Lord Henry went out to the garden and found Dorian Gray burying his face in the great cool lilac-blossoms, feverishly drinking in their perfume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/lord-henry-went-out-to-the-garden-and-found-dorian-gray-burying-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“A strange sense of loss came over him. He felt that Dorian Gray would never again be to him all that he had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/a-strange-sense-of-loss-came-over-him-he-felt-that-dorian-gray-would/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“But it appeared to Dorian Gray that the true nature of the senses had never been understood, and that they had remained savage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/but-it-appeared-to-dorian-gray-that-the-true-nature-of-the-senses-had/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Dorian Gray frowned and turned his head away. He could not help liking the tall, graceful young man who was standing by him. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/dorian-gray-frowned-and-turned-his-head-away-he-could-not-help-liking/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I turned halfway round, and saw Dorian Gray for the first time. When our eyes met, I felt that I was growing pale. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-turned-halfway-round-and-saw-dorian-gray-for-the-first-time-when/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Dorian Gray had been poisoned by a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/dorian-gray-had-been-poisoned-by-a-book/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Nicioadata nu aprob sau dezaprob un lucru, e o atitudine absurda fata de viata. Nu suntem trimisi in lume ca sa ne exibitionam prejudecatile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/nicioadata-nu-aprob-sau-dezaprob-un-lucru-e-o-atitudine-absurda-fata/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Dorian Gray listened, open-eyed and wondering. The spray of lilac fell from his hand upon the gravel. A furry bee came and buzzed round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/dorian-gray-listened-open-eyed-and-wondering-the-spray-of-lilac-fell/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I suddenly became conscious that some one was looking at me. I turned half-way round and saw Dorian Gray for the first time. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-suddenly-became-conscious-that-some-one-was-looking-at-me-i-turned/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Dorian quotes > [“Fine, she wouldn't mind if Kaltain and Perrington met horrible deaths, but Dorian would be there. And Chaol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-mass/fine-she-wouldn-t-mind-if-kaltain-and-perrington-met-horrible-deaths/) [Sarah J. Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-mass/) > [“By the way, Dorian, he (Lord Henry) said, after a pause, what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/by-the-way-dorian-he-lord-henry-said-after-a-pause-what-does-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“A strange sense of loss came over him. He felt that Dorian Gray would never again be to him all that he had been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/a-strange-sense-of-loss-came-over-him-he-felt-that-dorian-gray-would/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Sin is the only real colour-element left in modern life.' 'You really must not say things like that before Dorian, Harry.' 'Before which Dorian?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/sin-is-the-only-real-colour-element-left-in-modern-life-you-really/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Dorian Gray listened, open-eyed and wondering. The spray of lilac fell from his hand upon the gravel. A furry bee came and buzzed round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/dorian-gray-listened-open-eyed-and-wondering-the-spray-of-lilac-fell/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Dorian grunted, staring out at the forest. "Where's Sascha?" "In the aerie." "You left her alone?" "As my mate would say- she's a cardinal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/dorian-grunted-staring-out-at-the-forest-where-s-sascha-in-the-aerie/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [“people who only love once in their lives are really shallow people. What they call their loyalty, and their fidelity, I call either the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/people-who-only-love-once-in-their-lives-are-really-shallow-people/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Dorian didn’t bother saying anything to anyone and just stared at the glass pitcher of water before him. Celaena hadn’t seemed like herself just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/dorian-didn-t-bother-saying-anything-to-anyone-and-just-stared-at-the/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Nicioadata nu aprob sau dezaprob un lucru, e o atitudine absurda fata de viata. Nu suntem trimisi in lume ca sa ne exibitionam prejudecatile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/nicioadata-nu-aprob-sau-dezaprob-un-lucru-e-o-atitudine-absurda-fata/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The longer I live, Dorian, the more keenly I feel that whatever was good enough for our fathers is not good enough for us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-longer-i-live-dorian-the-more-keenly-i-feel-that-whatever-was/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Aedion didn’t bother talking to him, too preoccupied with humming bawdy tunes and inspecting the various women they passed. He’d dropped the half-civilized veneer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/aedion-didn-t-bother-talking-to-him-too-preoccupied-with-humming/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“He gripped the back of the sofa as though physically restraining himself. "You're a liar. You've always been a liar. And today was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/he-gripped-the-back-of-the-sofa-as-though-physically-restraining/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“She touched his arm. “If you need anything, send word. It’ll be a few weeks before we reach Orynth, but—I suppose with magic returned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/she-touched-his-arm-if-you-need-anything-send-word-it-ll-be-a-few/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Oath-breaker. Liar. Traitor. Chaol was all of those things now, but not to Dorian. Never to his true king. “Take out the clock tower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/oath-breaker-liar-traitor-chaol-was-all-of-those-things-now-but-not/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Dorian Gray had been poisoned by a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/dorian-gray-had-been-poisoned-by-a-book/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) Browse all 151 Dorian quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I did not want any external influence in my life. You know how independent I am by nature. 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