Symbolism In The Birthmark
In Hawthorne's short story, "The Birthmark," he examines that nature is supposed to be imperfect and cannot be changed. Hawthorne's main character, Aylmer is a static and stock character who does not change and is a mad scientist. He is determined to remove his wive's birthmark and is in denial that nature is imperfect and not everything can be changed. Hawthorne examines the theme that nature is supposed to be imperfect he shows it through Aylmers thoughts about how nature works. Aylmer is a part of nature himself and tries to achieve perfection by making his wife perfect and removing the birthmark. Lastly, Hawthorne uses symbolism to once again portray that nature cannot be changed and it is meant to be imperfect. The dream Aylmer has a deception
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In his dream he kept cutting deeper and deeper but it would not go away. The dream Aylmer had is very symbolic to the story. In the dream Aylmer, "attempting an operation for the removal of the birth- mark; but the deeper went the knife, the deeper sank the hand, until at length its tiny grasp appeared to have caught hold of Georgiana’s heart" (Hawthorne 306). The birthmark made Georgiana who she was and it was a part of her deep down that could not be disfigured. The birthmark in a way is what kept her alive. The dream symbolizes ultimate reality and the nature of her birthmark. If Aylmer would of let go of the idea to remove the birthmark the ending could of been different. Since he is a static and stock character his determination to remove it only became stronger. He refused to accept that the birthmark was meant to stay on his wife's face. He truly believed in himself that he could obtain perfection when it came to his wife. The dream Aylmer had symbolizes the reality of the situation and that no matter what he does or how highly educated he cannot change nature. Nature is beautiful yet full of natural disaster and many unpleasant things because it is not meant to be perfect. Throughout the whole story Aylmer has a constant struggle with himself and
In his dream he kept cutting deeper and deeper but it would not go away. The dream Aylmer had is very symbolic to the story. In the dream Aylmer, "attempting an operation for the removal of the birth- mark; but the deeper went the knife, the deeper sank the hand, until at length its tiny grasp appeared to have caught hold of Georgiana’s heart" (Hawthorne 306). The birthmark made Georgiana who she was and it was a part of her deep down that could not be disfigured. The birthmark in a way is what kept her alive. The dream symbolizes ultimate reality and the nature of her birthmark. If Aylmer would of let go of the idea to remove the birthmark the ending could of been different. Since he is a static and stock character his determination to remove it only became stronger. He refused to accept that the birthmark was meant to stay on his wife's face. He truly believed in himself that he could obtain perfection when it came to his wife. The dream Aylmer had symbolizes the reality of the situation and that no matter what he does or how highly educated he cannot change nature. Nature is beautiful yet full of natural disaster and many unpleasant things because it is not meant to be perfect. Throughout the whole story Aylmer has a constant struggle with himself and