https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7 en-us 2023-08-29 11:59:16 UTC 2023-08-30 13:00:23 UTC hello@padlet.com charles20255022 https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676578662 - There is a birthmark on Aylmer's Wife's cheek which Aylmer deems the only flaw about his perfect wife.
- He explains the imperfection of this to his wife, Georgiana.
- Georgiana immediately feels strongly against her birthmark, feeling ashamed.
- These characters immediately show how humans may react to imperfection: either cringing (Georgiana), being determined to fix it (Aylmer), or some other way.

- More in the story, Aylmer tries to get rid of this imperfection to the point that he kills his wife 💀(unintentionally). This reflects on the author. Even though this story is very exaggerated (hopefully), the author wrote this to explain how science and industrial benefits can help human life, but it still has some flaws. He is trying to explain how perfection might not be reached.]]> 2023-08-29 12:02:55 UTC https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676578662 suler20250802 https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676581693 * On page 2 it says "the fatal flaw of humanity which Nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her productions, either to imply that they are temporary and finite, or that their perfection must be wrought by toil and pain." I think that the quote here is really talking about life or is symbolism for like mentioned finite and temporary existence. In the story Aylmer seeks perfection in everything he does, and by seeking perfection "in fixing" his wife it shows that he thinks he can defy the laws of nature or the cycle of life. Also the birth mark could represent more figuratively is that nobody is perfect and whether its physically or emtionally we all have a flaw.

*On page 4 it says "what will be my triumph when I shall have corrected what Nature left imperfect in her fairest work." The story writer through the lens of industrialism in the 1830's is making the point that the more humans mess with Nature the more we head down the path of destruction because we know that Aylmer tried to mess with natural biology and in the end his wife didn't survive. The author is saying the more we mess with our natural biology with whatever it may be, industrialism, nuclear, etc. we will be heading down the path of destruction.]]> 2023-08-29 12:05:17 UTC https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676581693 gonzalesterr20258187 https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676581779 'It was the sad confession and continual exemplification of the shortcomings of the composite man, the spirit burdened with clay and working in matter, and of the despair that assails the higher nature in finding itself so miserably thwarted by the earthly part"  

Aylmers feels that man can not reach his full capacity because of he is limited by mortality 


In this manner, selecting it as a symbol of his wife's liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death, Aylmer's sombre imagination was not long in rendering the birthmark a frightful subject, causing him more trouble and horror than ever Georgiana's beauty, whether of soul or sense, had given him delight."

His idea of perfection extends to physical beauty because he sees it as a manifestation of the soul and any physical flaws as an indication of any sin

"Much as he had accomplished, she could not but observe that his most splendid success were almost invariably failures, if compared to the ideal at which he aimed. His brightest diamonds were the merest pebbles, and to be so by himself, in comparison with the inestimable gems which lay by hidden beyond his reach"

Aylmer can not appreciate what is objectively beautiful and seem as 'diamonds' because his standards of perfection is so high ]]> 2023-08-29 12:05:23 UTC https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676581779 suler20250802 https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676593138 *One pattern that I noticed or an interesting concept is one that has to do with mindset. In the beginning of the story Georgiana really didn't have an issue with her birthmark because she had a lot of suitors and the story said she even considered it a spot where a fairy landed on her when she was younger, so it wasn't really something that bugged her. Later in the story when Aylmer starts getting more and more aggressive in terms of complaining about the mark begins to twists Georgiana's perception of herself and by the end she'd rather die than have the birthmark still on her face. That is to say "perfection" is in the mind of the beholder it is subjective and if Georgiana never had her perception of herself corrupted she'd still be alive.

*As mentioned before the symbolism with Aylmer striving for perfection and the killing of his wife, and the author living through an age of industrialism and consequent pollution, it is fair to say that perfection in this story is seen as a bad thing and striving to be perfect as in the story or striving for better technology as it was in the 1830's will be the eventual downfall of life.]]> 2023-08-29 12:16:39 UTC https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676593138 charles20255022 https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676593183 Perfection = Subjective standard of something to be flawless.

"masculine observers, if the birthmark did not heighten their admiration, contented themselves with wishing it away, that the world might possess one living specimen of ideal loveliness without the semblance of a FLAW." (Paragraph 8)

With our groups definition of perfection, and an example provided by the story, it is evident that there is a multiple different perspective of what perfection may be. Some may view something as perfect while others might see apparent flaws. This said, in Aylmer's perspective, his wife is imperfect, while his Assistant Aminadab, says he wouldn't get rid of that birthmark.]]> 2023-08-29 12:16:42 UTC https://padlet.com/suler20250802/ifk4hcndv9djkem7/wish/2676593183