Comparison of "Surfacing" and "Picture of Dorian Gray"

Solitude is the pathway to self-discovery. Indeed, one of the most difficult tasks in life is to choose the correct path to find one's self, and to affirm where one stands amidst the crowd. Among the numerous paths that can be taken in life, there are often those that lead to nowhere. These "paths to nowhere," are found in the road maps belonging to those who travel in pairs, and follow others, but are not found in the guidebooks of those who travel alone. The nameless protagonist of Surfacing and the protagonist, Dorian
Gray, of The Picture of Dorian Gray both choose similar paths in life…