Introduction: What is art if not the practice of expressing simple truths in anything but simple language? Symbols are powerful literary tools that not only give meaning to narratives, but also make them relevant to readers by representing easily recognizable abstract concepts. This is exactly what Nathaniel Hawthorne achieves in The Birthmark. Background: This tale follows a brilliant scientist Aylmer whose obsession with perfection leads him away from his path as an objective researcher. He uses his wife Georgiana as a subject in an experiment born of this obsession with disastrous results. Thesis Statement: By exploring themes of mortality, science, and the natural order, Hawthorne manages to use symbolism to demonstrate why it is important to respect nature and not be overzealous as it only delays the inevitable and leads us to cause more harm than before. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Topic Sentence: The most obvious and obvious symbol of the birthmark is Georgiana's hand-shaped birthmark on her cheek, which symbolizes mortality. This is the only imperfection that "ruins" an otherwise flawless beauty, at least in the eyes of her husband Aylmer. In the words of the narrator, "it made his appearance downright hideous." Evidence and Quotes: Other men admire the birthmark, as it accentuates Georgiana's beauty. For Aylmer it is a source of anxiety and intrigue. It is a “unique sign of human imperfection”. Comment: For much of the narrative, he becomes obsessed with removing it. His past scientific perseverance fuels his fixation on this. Ultimately, Aylmer manages to remove his wife's birthmark, but Georgiana loses her life in the process. The birthmark therefore represents the mortality of mankind. Everyone has a flaw, physical or otherwise; it is what makes human beings “normal”. After Aylmer's discovery of the "cure" for Georgiana's birthmark, the pink spot gradually disappears, matching Georgiana's health perfectly. The more the mark fades, the more his health decreases. At that stage of death, Georgiana is no longer mortal; she is too perfect to be mortal and therefore should not be among mortals. In other words, the birthmark is an accurate representation of man's constant attempt to avoid the imperfect nature of being alive and one day dying. Georgiana not only knows this, but accepts it graciously when she says "...I think I am of all mortals the fittest to die" (Hawthorne). Death is an inevitable event, something Aylmer detests. In his own words to Georgiana, “You are ready for heaven without testing death!” The scientist believes in the inversion of the law of nature, a belief that costs him his wife; in his attempts to achieve perfection, he discovers that only the dead are, in a sense, guiltless. Another equally important symbol that drives the narrative of Hawthorne's The Birthmark is Aylmer's laboratory plants, which represent the natural order of the world in which we live. Aylmer is intent on reversing one of nature's inevitable events: 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 that Aylmer gladly accommodates. As soon as Georgiana plucks the petal of the flower, the entire plant begins to wither. A similar result, although in the opposite direction, is observed with the geranium plant, where by pouring a "healing" liquid on its roots, it sprouts into a "living vegetable". Aylmer's treatment of his experimental plants reflects his belief in the capabilities of science,.