Oscar Wilde uses setting in the opening of his novel, ‘Dorian Gray’, in a similar way yet different way to Iain Banks and his novel ‘The Wasp Factory’. Wilde uses nature to set the tone for one of the major themes of his novel as he describes the air smelling like “the rich odour of roses”. The adjectives “rich” and odour” connote intensity and this may exemplify the plot of the novel as it possesses density and deep and meaning, especially with the philosophical Henry Wotton who poses statements such as “you know more than you think you know, just as you know less than you want to know”. Wilde furthers the use of the olfactory senses with the sweet smell of “delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.” The juxtaposition of “delicate” and “thorn” possibly may convey that, in Wilde’s mind, all nature is beautiful and “delicate”. Despite a “thorn” connoting pain it is still a part of nature and should be relished for its beauty. This novel was published in the 19th century which coincided with rise of the ‘Romantic Movement’ which was created in reaction to the industrial revolution in England. The aesthetics of this opening scene is one of beauty with the nouns of “roses” and “lilacs” and adjectives such as “delicate”. Wilde may be implying that nature is truly beautiful no matter what it can do and that aesthetics bring one of the greatest pleasures as looking at nature in this idyllic, pastoral scene leaves the reader with a stunning image in their mind. However, Wilde also creates a sense of foreboding in the opening paragraph with the “light summer wind” being “stirred”. The adjective “stirred” coupled with the “wind” creates a sense of foreboding leaving the reader question what may happen or what twist the plot may have in the current chapter. Similarly, Banks uses the wind to the same affect. At the north end of the island where the novel is based there is