Portrait

Although there are a lot of images of love in Portrait, it seems like the only lessons learned in the book regarding love are lessons of failure ands what not to do. For instance, Stephen and the prostitute. Instead of having sex for love, Stephen does it in lust. This gives him a false image of love. He has the image that love is easily gained and shown when really it takes a long time to develop. I think that as the book progresses, Stephen starts to realize this and he gets past his juvenile crushes to realize what love requires and what it will take for him to have a true love in his life.