Although West London appears to be the "good" side of the city, it is in fact, just as corrupt as East London.

Dorian's Rich Lifestyle

Dorian is a member of London's upper-class. In West London, he leads a very lavish and refined lifesyle.

Unlike London's lower-and middle classes, Dorian does not need to work because he inherited his uncle's fortune and estate.

Dorian's careless spending reveals how pleasure and wealth contribute to the degredation of his moral conscience.While in one of London’s East End opium dens (possibly in the Limehouse district), money becomes a mode for manipulation:

“For God’s sake, don’t talk to me!” cried Dorian, stamping his foot on the ground. “What do you want? Money? Here it is. Don’t ever talk to me again.” Two red sparks flashed for a moment in the woman’s sodden eyes, then flickered out, and left them dull and glazed. She tossed her head, and raked the coins off the counter with greedy fingers” (Wilde, 193).

Dorian's wealth enables him to frequently go to and from East London. Unlike East London's poor people, he can escape and return whenever he wants.

Several prominent streets in or around West London are mentioned in the novel, notably Grosvenor Square, Pall Mall, and South Audley Street.

"His mode of dressing, and the particular styles that from time to time he affected, had their marked influence on the young exquisites of the Mayfair balls and Pall Mall club windows, who copied him in everything that he did" (Wilde, 132).

Gentlemen's Clubs

"By the late 19th century, any man with a credible claim to the status of "gentleman" was able to find a club willing to admit him, unless his character was very objectionable in some way."

Dorian frequents gentlemen's clubs, which were exclusively for men belonging to London's wealthy upper-class. The clubs are a form of legitimacy for Dorian because he uses his social status to cover up his corruption.

Dorian appears at London’s most prominent social clubs in order to hide the fact that his reputation for being a “gentleman” is fabricated.

Dorian’s handsome appearance, combined with his noble birthright, is primarily why most of his fellow gentlemen overlook their doubts about his moral character.

London Hypocrisy

Although Dorian lives in luxury and comfort, his wealth and status underlines London's corrupt aristocracy.

Few of London’s upper-class members know or care about how to solve the “problems” in East London. In fact, none of Dorian’s wealthy contacts actually describe what the “problems” are, which seems to further their lack of understanding.

(The Duchess to Lord Henry at dinner): "I have always felt rather guilty when I came to see your dear aunt, for I take no interest at all in the East End" (Wilde, 44).

Lord Henry points out the folly of London’s upper-class members’ idea of how to help the poor: "It is the problem of slavery, and we try to solve it by amusing the slaves" (Wilde, 43).

Even though Dorian sees the East End's impoverished conditions he uses it for his personal gain, which demonstrates his lack of social and moral conscience.