Friday, May 22, 2015

Journal # 7

        "The Birthmark" was a short story about a man unable to understand that going against nature could lead to serious consequences. As a scientists Aylmer was obsessed with experimenting and improving everything he encountered. Aylmer married beautiful women named Georgiana.  Georgiana had a unique birthmark on her face. People around her admired the mark because they thought it gave her an extra spark. Aylmer married this woman accepting the birthmark however overtime he was disgusted by it. Georgiana fell in love with a man who was not satisfied by her looks and that tore her apart. She wanted to please him and when Aylmer introduced the idea of removing it at all cost she did not hesitate. During the surgery Georgiana died and he was unsuccessful with his experiment. 
         

          This short story brings light to the idea that perfection is just an illusion and it can never be reached. This idea that woman have to please their spouse is absurd. If Georgiana were confident, independent and self-sufficient women she would have realized that Aylmer was the one who needed improving. His arrogant personality cost him the chance to have a family. His obsession for science destroyed his chances at true happiness. The problem with this relationship was that Aylmer was truly never happy with himself.  He used science as an escape of his real issues. The way the narrator physically describes Aylmer makes one assume that he was not good-looking man. He thought he had to prove himself to the world and show off his skills as a mad men scientist. Unfortunately this resulted in a failed experiment and that must have crushed his ego. 

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