Is there something wrong with the pursuit of perfection? What would make it okay or not okay? Is idealism (striving for perfection) a kind of madness?
3 comments:
Katie Henderson
said...
Katie Henderson Yes, striving for perfection is wrong! Like Aylmer in "The Birthmark," searching for an impossible perfection leads to madness. Aylmer and Georgiana both obsess over her "defect" while failing to appreciate the rest of her beauty. I do believe it is okay to strive to be the best person you can be, but when it becomes detrimental like in "The Birthmark," it is lunacy. Instances in the real world that are fairly similar and equally unhealthy are eating disorders and body mutilation. Maybe "madness" isn't the right word to describe those disorders, but certainly neither are healthy and sane.
"The Birthmark" by Hawthorne clearly proves that the pursuit of perfection is not only wrong but pointless. Perfection can never and will never be reached. Aylmer believes that his wife Georgianas birthmark is "the visible mark of earthly imperfection". She had never hated her birthmark, matter of fact she was such a great beauty that the many men who desired her would say that the birthmark was and angels or a fairys touch upon her. Her husband Aylmer insists that it can be removed and he recoils every time he looks at her and notices her birthmark. Aylmer's obessesion with the birthmark arrives to the point that all he sees when he looks at her is the birthmark. Aylmer even dreams of having an operation done to remove the birthmark,“He had fancied himself with his servant Aminadab, attempting an operation for the removal of the birthmark; 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; whence, however, her husband was inexorably resolved to cut or wrench it away.” Here, in an obvious move toward foreshadowing, he is basically revealing, through the dream sequence, that by attempting to mess with nature’s plan or even Nature’s way of creating beauty, he can only destroy or create imperfection. His wofe Georgiana after hearing his dream agrees to have it removed to make him happy even if it means risking her life. Eventually, Aylmer looks at his wife and is delighted and horrified to watch her birthmark dissolving. However, as it dissolves and fades, the narrator says in “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The fatal hand had grappled with the mystery of life, and was the bond by which an angelic spirit kept itself in union with a mortal frame. As the last crimson tint of the birthmark -- that sole token of human imperfection -- faded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere, and her soul, lingering a moment near her husband, took its heavenward flight” and Georgiana dies. Here Aylmer realizes that perfection can never be reached because the pursuit of perfection will only destroy everything you love.
In response to Nicoles answer: I agreee with you that his obssesion with her birthmark ruined them both. That he didnt realize her true beauty. Yet i agree and disagree with your view of todays world and perfection. Yes today we are more excepting but we still view certain things as perfect and strive to be that. An example would be the models and actors we see on t.v many poeple strive to look like them because to the they are "perfect". In todays world we have ways to do as Aylmer did but in a safer manner. Yet no matter how careful we are someone always gets hurt.
******************************
This blog is used an alternative to the traditional classroom discussion. So whether you like to talk in class, never talk, or fall somewhere in the middle, I am sure you will all love it! But, please remember: while I am not grading your typing skills, you are expected to put time and effort into your responses.
Sounds simple, right? Now... let the blogging begin!
3 comments:
Katie Henderson
Yes, striving for perfection is wrong! Like Aylmer in "The Birthmark," searching for an impossible perfection leads to madness. Aylmer and Georgiana both obsess over her "defect" while failing to appreciate the rest of her beauty. I do believe it is okay to strive to be the best person you can be, but when it becomes detrimental like in "The Birthmark," it is lunacy. Instances in the real world that are fairly similar and equally unhealthy are eating disorders and body mutilation. Maybe "madness" isn't the right word to describe those disorders, but certainly neither are healthy and sane.
"The Birthmark" by Hawthorne clearly proves that the pursuit of perfection is not only wrong but pointless. Perfection can never and will never be reached. Aylmer believes that his wife Georgianas birthmark is "the visible mark of earthly imperfection". She had never hated her birthmark, matter of fact she was such a great beauty that the many men who desired her would say that the birthmark was and angels or a fairys touch upon her. Her husband Aylmer insists that it can be removed and he recoils every time he looks at her and notices her birthmark. Aylmer's obessesion with the birthmark arrives to the point that all he sees when he looks at her is the birthmark. Aylmer even dreams of having an operation done to remove the birthmark,“He had fancied himself with his servant Aminadab, attempting an operation for the removal of the birthmark; 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; whence, however, her husband was inexorably resolved to cut or wrench it away.” Here, in an obvious move toward foreshadowing, he is basically revealing, through the dream sequence, that by attempting to mess with nature’s plan or even Nature’s way of creating beauty, he can only destroy or create imperfection. His wofe Georgiana after hearing his dream agrees to have it removed to make him happy even if it means risking her life. Eventually, Aylmer looks at his wife and is delighted and horrified to watch her birthmark dissolving. However, as it dissolves and fades, the narrator says in “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The fatal hand had grappled with the mystery of life, and was the bond by which an angelic spirit kept itself in union with a mortal frame. As the last crimson tint of the birthmark -- that sole token of human imperfection -- faded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere, and her soul, lingering a moment near her husband, took its heavenward flight” and Georgiana dies. Here Aylmer realizes that perfection can never be reached because the pursuit of perfection will only destroy everything you love.
~Jhennyfer S.
In response to Nicoles answer:
I agreee with you that his obssesion with her birthmark ruined them both. That he didnt realize her true beauty. Yet i agree and disagree with your view of todays world and perfection. Yes today we are more excepting but we still view certain things as perfect and strive to be that. An example would be the models and actors we see on t.v many poeple strive to look like them because to the they are "perfect". In todays world we have ways to do as Aylmer did but in a safer manner. Yet no matter how careful we are someone always gets hurt.
Jhennyfer S.
Post a Comment