Introduction: What is art if not the practice of expressing simple truths in language that is anything but simple? Symbols are powerful literary devices that not only give meaning to stories, but also make them relevant to readers by representing abstract concepts that they can relate to. This is precisely what Nathaniel Hawthorne achieves in The Birthmark. Context: This short story follows a brilliant scientist, Aylmer, whose obsession with perfection takes him away from his path as an objective researcher. He uses his wife Georgiana as a subject in an experiment born from this obsession with disastrous results. Thesis Statement: By exploring themes of mortality, science, and the natural order, Hawthorne successfully uses symbolism to demonstrate why it is important to respect nature and not be overzealous, as this does not only delays the inevitable and causes us to cause more harm than before. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Topic Sentence: The most visible and obvious symbol of the birthmark is Georgiana's hand-shaped birthmark on her cheek, which symbolizes mortality. It is the one imperfection that “ruins” an otherwise impeccable beauty – at least in the eyes of her husband, Aylmer. In the narrator's words, it "made his face even more hideous." Evidence and Quote: Other men admire the birthmark, because it accentuates Georgiana's beauty. For Aylmer, this is a source of worry and intrigue. It is a “single testimony to human imperfection.” Commentary: For much of the story, he becomes obsessed with killing him. His past scientific perseverance fuels his fixation on this subject. In the end, Aylmer succeeds in removing his wife's birthmark, but Georgiana loses her life in the process. The birthmark therefore represents the mortality of humanity. Everyone has a flaw, whether physical or otherwise; it’s what makes humans “normal.” Following Aylmer's discovery of the "cure" for Georgiana's birthmark, the pink spot gradually disappears, perfectly matching Georgiana's condition. The more the mark fades, the more his health deteriorates. At this point in death, Georgiana is no longer a mortal; she is too perfect to be a mortal and therefore is not meant to be among mortals. In other words, the birthmark is an accurate representation of man's constant search to avoid the imperfect nature of being alive and one day dying. Not only does Georgiana know this, but she graciously accepts it when she says, “…I think I am of all mortals the fittest to die” (Hawthorne). Death is an inevitable event that Aylmer hates. In his own words to Georgiana: “You are fit for heaven without experiencing death!” » The scientist believes in the reversal of the laws of nature, a belief which costs him his wife; in his attempts to achieve perfection, he discovers that only the dead are, in a sense, without fault. Another equally important symbol that drives the narrative of Hawthorne's The Birthmark are the plants in Aylmer's laboratory, which represent the natural order of the world in which we live. Aylmer intends to reverse one of nature's inevitable phenomena: death. Evidence and Citation: When Aylmer shows Georgiana one of the plants in his laboratory, she is impressed and wants to pet and hold it, a request which Aylmer readily grants. No sooner does Georgiana pluck the petal from the flower than the entire plant begins to wither. A result..