Mosses from an Old Manse

One of the allegorical details that can be interpreted is the literal and figurative implication of Faith. As Goodman Brown commences his journey, his longing desire to meet the Devil hints at a slight shift in his belief. Abandoning his wife, Brown shows a sign of negligence. The Devil questions Brown for his delay to which he responds, “Faith kept me back awhile” (Hawthorne 2). The “faith” here symbolizes both Goodman Brown’s wife, Faith, as well as his religious belief. In a literal sense,…

little less likely that I shall set out again.” Unexpectedly, the corners of Father Hoecken’s eyes wrinkled in mirth, though he kept the remaining lines of his face in mock seriousness. “Let’s be clear. If you die out there, I’m not dragging your old body back.” Father DeSmet’s laugh ruptured the air like a summer cloud burst: sudden and without buildup. It’s force disturbed several nearby roosting hens who cackled back in nervous excitement. “Oh no, I want to die in the wilderness, but…

with perfectly cut grass and a strong iron fence. This house belonged to the Fosters, some of the main characters in the story. The jailhouse and the gallows were new in the town of Treegap. The gallows were shaped like an upside down L and not far from the jailhouse. When I…

lost of innocence as well as the fault in human morality through the use of symbolism and imagery in the story. The lost of innocence can be looked at as a literal theme in the story since both Faith and Goodman Brown undergo a change to the reader from “good” people to people associated with sin. The theme of fault in human morality can be looked at as a figurative theme because it is showcased through the symbolism and the imagery created in the story. The theme of loss of innocence can be…

In his story The Birthmark, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the female character, Georgiana and her corresponding traits and personalities to symbolize traditional femininity and male dominance found in earlier times. He also uses this symbolism to deliver the message to the reader that perfection is not real and should not be perused, because it will eventually lead to misery. Aylmer, the husband of a beautiful woman, is in love with science perhaps as much as he is in love with his wife. But, he is…

(Hawthorne). Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Aylmer’s experiments to represent man striving for perfection. Aylmer of “The Birthmark” is an accomplished scientist, but he aspires to divinity. He hints that, if he put his mind to it, he could create a human being (From Aylmer's experiment). He will do anything to remove his wife’s imperfection. Aylmer makes a potion that he is going to use on his wife to remove her mark. This potion eventually leads to her death. Hawthorne show the power of nature when…

to calm and restore her husband's mood when she sang. This was an example of her natural ability rather than her husband's scientific abilities. Aylmer cannot look past the one minuscule birthmark on her face. Various people found it to be a touch from God, but he found it to be an experiment he must fix. The conflict revolves around the issue of Aylmer wanting perfection in his wife, but all he sees is her one wee flaw and that leads him to try and perfect her…

letter into the elite Parsons The New School for Design. Despite the onslaught of tragedy the attack triggered, Monica Singh’s symbolic beauty alters society’s definition of perfection (Balson). Similar to the pain Monica endures from her facial scars, Georgiana, a character from “The Birthmark” a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, suffers because of her ghastly birthmark.…

love for science has caused him the desire to change the appearance of his wife; to his definition of beautiful by removing a birthmark on her face. For instance, when Aylmer responds to Georgiana “No, dearest Georgiana, you came nearly so perfect from the hand of nature, that the slightest possible…

viewed her own birthmark as hideous but rather a compliment. Aylmer shockingly thought otherwise, depicting the mark as an imperfection to an almost perfect woman and communicates with his wife about the thought of possibly having it surgically removed from her face. Georgiana had never thought about removing her birthmark as she rather found it beautiful which evidently makes her rather upset that her husband does not see the same beauty as she does. As the days of their marriage roll through…