Reader Response: The Birthmark: Reader's Response
The Birthmark- Reader’s Response Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, the infamous town where a very significant historical event occured. Hawthorne was the great-great-grandson of John Hathorne, one of the three judges over the Salem witch trials nearly a century ago. After the death of his father in 1808, Hawthorne’s uncle Robert Manning, prominent pomologist of that time, took Hawthorne into his care in Raymond, Maine. As a young man Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Franklin Pierce. After obtaining his degree in 1825, Hawthorne moved back to Salem for twelve years and wrote many novels, sketches, and short stories that are still very popular today, including …show more content…
My favorite part of the short story was the ending. It occured to the reader that humanity cannot survive with perfection so Georginana had to die. The first time that I read the story I did not really read into exactly why Georgiana died, I believed that it could have been the medication that Aylmer reacted with Georgiana’s skin and killed her but the second time that I read the story the real reason appeared to me. I also admired how Hawthorne developed his characters. In the beginning Aylmer was a scientist that only cared about his experiments, then he fell in love and stopped his scientific work, but then he found a reason to continue his scientific work which led to the death of his wife. At the end of the story Aylmer regretted pressuring his wife to change herself and feels remorseful for what he did. The Birthmark follows the struggles of man versus nature and man versus self. The main character Aylmer suffered no not being about to accept the flaws of his wife but also the fact that he cannot do everything, mostly because it is not his place to do these things. As the story develops the need for Aylmer to reach perfection grows stronger and later kills his wife. Considering the events that occur in this story it is very easy to see that the biggest theme in the story is humanity cannot survive without its
The Birthmark Analysis Essay
717 Words | 3 PagesIn the story “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he uses several techniques to help build his story. Hawthorne tells a story of a man of science whose name was Aylmer. He married a beautiful women named Georgiana, although she was quite beautiful she had a birthmark on her face which, in Aylmer’s eyes was an imperfection. Aylmer tries to perfect Georgiana, but in the end Aylmer’s attempts to change Georgiana causes him to lose her. Aylmer does not accept the idea of imperfections in people.
Obsession In Nathanial Hawthorne's The Birth-Mark
1165 Words | 5 PagesWhich leads him to the point of using science to remove the birth mark. Aylmer’s obsession of removing the birth mark led to the death of his wife, Georgina. Hawthorne uses Aylmer to present a common issue that individuals have. Furthermore, each scholar help better understand the theme of obsession and achieving a goal that leads individuals to a path of negativity because of individuals’ foolishness to achieve perfection, science vs naturality, and mental isolation.
Similarities Between Hawthorne And The Birthmark
871 Words | 4 PagesGeorgiana took note of Aylmer’s displeasure of the birthmark from the dream and through his stealthy stare, causing Georgina displeasure (Nathaniel Hawthorne 114). Aylmer’s further loathing of the birthmark, causes Georgiana to give up for the sake of his happiness. She tells, Aylmer after bringing up the conversation of the birthmark, “Either remove this dreadful hand, or take my wretched life!” (Nathaniel Hawthorne 114). Aylmer could have avoided tragedy, however he failed to listen to his assistant Aminadab, who stated he would “never part with that birthmark” (Nathaniel Hawthorne 114).
Perfection In The Birthmark And Eye Of The Beholder
781 Words | 4 PagesIntro: Nathaniel Hawthorne’s fictional short story “The Birthmark” and The Twilight Zone’s darkly romantic episode “Eye of the Beholder” both use gothic elements and delve into the realm of science to explore concepts of beauty and perfection. Through their contrasting characterizations of the scientist and employments of irony and allusions, each work comes to its own conclusions about how to define and treat beauty. Body #1: The Birthmark From the very first paragraph, Hawthorne’s story revolves around Aylmer, a scientist who supposedly gives up his career to marry the beautiful woman of his dreams, Georgiana.
How Does Nathaniel Hawthorne Use Biblical Allusions In The Scarlet Letter
1458 Words | 6 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne, a famous American author from the antebellum period, notices the emphasis on individual freedoms in the works by Ralph Waldo Emerson and other Transcendentalists during his residency in the Brook Farm’s community. In response to these ideas, Hawthorne writes The Scarlet Letter, a historical novel about Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale’s lives as they go through ignominy, penance, and deprecation from their Puritan community to express their strong love for each other. Their love, even though it is true, is not considered as holy nor pure because of Hester past marriage to Roger Chillingworth, and thus Hester gained the Scarlet Letter for being an adulterer. Hawthorne utilizes biblical allusions, such as the stories of
Examples Of Archetypes In The Birthmark
549 Words | 3 PagesHis obsession over the birthmark became overwhelming for his loving wife, to the point where she feels as if “a red-hot iron had touched her cheek” whenever the birthmark is mentioned. While she once referred to her mark as a “charm” she changes her tone to describe it negatively after she now associates it as the object of Aylmer’s “horror and disgust.” To intensify Aylmer’s obsession leading to Georgiana’s insecurity, it is mentioned that he did not think about the birthmark until after they had married, after Georgiana had grown to love Aylmer and his view of her
Obsession In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark
941 Words | 4 PagesIn The Birthmark, Hawthorne depicts the obsession for perfection, the tole it takes on one and the consequences it has. The quest for perfection is unrealistic and unobtainable as we are only mere humans incapable of reconstructing our DNA. In The Birthmark, Hawthorne tells the story of a woman named Georgiana and her scientist husband Aylmer, who are both fixated on a birthmark similar to the look of a tiny human hand. Aylmer is disgusted by Georgiana’s birthmark, wanting to please her husband Georgiana is willing to do anything for him to look at her in a normal manner “Danger is nothing to me;for life which this hateful mark
The Birthmark Character Analysis
573 Words | 3 PagesIn “The Birthmark”, Aylmer is bothered in seeing a birthmark on his wife Georgiana’s cheek. I believe that Aylmer was truly evil in the way he manipulated Georgiana in thinking he truly cared about her. Aylmer’s ideas of perfection were the most dangerous thing about him and even led him to kill. When Georgiana learned of her husband’s disdain towards her birthmark she was devastated. Slowly, Aylmer manipulated Georgiana into believing that this mark would need to be removed.
Examples Of Figurative Language In The Birthmark
590 Words | 3 PagesThe birthmark itself symbolizes morality. Aylmer, this brilliant scientist and husband to Georgiana, sees it has as fatal flaw. It also represents this imperfection of human nature. Nothing is perfect in nature, but science can help improve to make it seem flawless.
Annotated Bibliography Of Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown
790 Words | 4 Pages“Young Goodman Brown.” : An Annotated Bibliography “Young Goodman Brown” is a story about a man who challenges his faith in himself and in the community in which he resides. Gregory, Leslie. " The Text of Nathaniel Hawthorne 's "Young Goodman Brown". " American Literature Research and Analysis.
Symbolism In The Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne
824 Words | 4 PagesSymbolism in “The Birthmark” In “The Birthmark” Nathaniel Hawthorne gives us a story that is telling us on some level to accept your own, as well as other people's imperfections or it could destroy not only your relationship with them, but also your relationship with yourself. In this story Hawthorne uses symbolism to show us exactly how this kind of behavior can lead to not just ruining relationships, but in this case even death. In “The Birthmark” Hawthorne uses a wide variety of objects and people such as a withering flower, a birthmark, poison, Aylmer's dream and Georgiana's death, and even a character named Aminidab to symbolize that nobody is in fact perfect and we all must accept each others flaws in order to have good and healthy relationships.
Georgiana's Unhealthy Relationship In The Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne
791 Words | 4 PagesIn the short story “The Birthmark”, Nathaniel Hawthorne writes about a scientist, his wife, and the unhealthy relationship they share. The story follows Aylmer, a scientist, who is determined to remove his wife Georgiana’s birthmark. One aspect of their unhealthy relationship is Georgiana’s sole dependance on Aylmer. Furthermore, Aylmer does not view Georgiana as his equal. Not only this, but Aylmer frequently belittles her, continuously pointing out her flaws, which drives her to do something dangerous.
Reading Response To Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'
1146 Words | 5 PagesAmanda Vicente The Scarlet Letter Reading Response AP English Language Period J 16 August 2016 Journal Entry 1: Chapters 1-2 In The Scarlet Letter, the author sets a mood from the beginning of the book. The setting is old and beat up in front of an aged wooden prison with judgmental Puritans ready to tear a women apart. The Puritans are hypocrites and the author portrays that in the story.
Examples Of Romanticism In The Birthmark
619 Words | 3 PagesThe author does this to give us the impression that the birthmark is no ordinary birthmark, but that it has some sort of mystical tie to Georgiana. Another example is how the story talks of how Georgiana was like a celestial being after Aylmer had relieved her of her only flaw but he regretted removing it for it also ridded
And Symbolism In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Ocean'
737 Words | 3 PagesHave you ever swam in the ocean? Ever fought against the waves? Have you ever felt its intensity?? Oceans can be quite treacherous and rigid, but once you sink down beneath the water, all is calm and peaceful. In “The Ocean” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he paints an image of this by illustrating the waters and the men at sea.
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