Nathaniel+Hawthorne

"The Birthmark" by: Nathaniel Hawthorne

 Summary: Aylmer and Georgina, a newly married couple, lived in the 1800’s. Ay keeps suggesting that G should remove the birth**mark but G r**efuses and **gets** terribly upset. The birthmark is shaped like a hand that’s interwoven into her skin on her left cheek. It can be covered by two fingers and is hidden when she blushes. Other women think the birthmark is hideous because it’s her only flaw and they are jealous of her be**auty but** men believe the birthmark is a gift and a sign of extravagant beauty. Finall**y aft**er Ay kept pestering and trying to persuade her, she gives in and tells him that she’ll do it all costs just to make him happy. Once he took her to the laboratory she fainted. Aninadad was introduced as he walked out, looked at G, and spoke badly about her birthmark. She then woke up confused as to where she was. As she woke up she remembered that she was in Ay’s laboratory. When Ay came into the room and mentioned the birthmark G became very defensive. Ay then proceeded to explain the procedure and shows her the folio of previous experiments. She realizes that every time he does an experiment that is **good a ba**d side effect was usually to credit for the success. She cries when she reads this. He gives her many fluids along the way, but none seem to be wor**king althou**gh G complains that she feels funny. Ay then made the liquid that was to cure G’s birthmark and demonstrated how it worked on a sick and dying plant. He poured the liquid on the plant and the plant was cured. Then he proceeded to give the liquid to G and she drank it. She fell asleep almost immediately after she drank it. She slept for a while and woke to the sound of Ay’s voice and the outline of the birthmark went away until it was completely gone. She then tells Ay that she is dying and he listens to laughter as G's soul leaves toward heaven.

Correlation: "It is dangerous to read a sorcerer's books." pg 19 Although one often feels the need to know everything, sometimes it's better to not know at all. Secrets are often kept because they don't think others will understand or they know they've done wrong. If someone's trying extremely hard and/or going through a lot of work to keep it a secret, they may trying to protect the other person. Digging in deep into their "sorcerer book" may reveal information that changes your feelings and thoughts about them forever.

"Has it ever occurred to you that the mark upon your cheek may be removed?" pg 10 (Ay) "To tell you the truth, it has been so often called a charm, that I was simple enough to imagine it might be so." pg 10-11 (G) "Remove it, remove it, whatever be the cost, or we shall both go mad!" pg 21 (G) Georgiana shows that people's opinions can overpower and brainwash your own. At the beginning of the story she didn't mind her birthmark and even loved it a little. But as the story goes on, Aylmer criticizes the birthmark more and more. Finally her perspective matters no more as she gives in to her husband. By the end the mention of the mark infuriates her.

"O, do not tremble, my love," said her husband. "I would not wrong either you or myself by working such inharmonious effects upon our lives; but I would have you consider how trifling, in comparison, is the skill requisite to remove this little hand." It amazes me how some people only look at the outside of people. When he looks at her he only sees the little hand, but there is so much more than that. What matters on the inside is more important, although **whats** on the outside can be considered a **plus** in many situations. This little mark bothers him so much that he's able to experiment and risk her life for it. **Unfortunatly** there are countless people who feel this way as well.

Reflexion: "The Birthmark" is a well structured and detailed short story, although it seemed to drag **out**. The story could have been explained in **less** words, but it's challenging vocabulary made it a difficult read. Struggling a little till the finish, the end was the most interesting of the story. I could tell it was well thought out and Hawthorne really expressed it **diliberatly**.