“The Birthmark” is a story that demonstrates how humanity should not attempt to perfect nature, and that people like Aylmer should appreciate what they have. Aylmer expects perfection, and if something is not perfect, he uses science to change it. This is most apparent in his view of his wife’s birthmark. Through characterization, we come to understand that Aylmer has an obsession with perfecting the world around him, even if he is not sure whether the science he applies will work in the end. In describing the birthmark, Aylmer states “No dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of nature that the slightest possible defect which we hesitant whether to term a defect or a beauty spot of being a visible mark of earthly imperfection” (219). He is unsure about the true meaning of the birthmark, whether it is a mark of beauty or imperfection, but he still decides to remove the birthmark because of his obsession. He tells her, “Dearest Georgiana, I have spent much thought upon the subject. I am convinced of the perfect practicality of its removal” (221). Despite having convinced himself or the practicality, his wife ends up dying due to the experiment. He is not completely crushed by this because, in his estimation, the experiment was at least somewhat successful. He states, “Or rather it is the elixir of immortality that is the most precious poison that ever was concocted in this world” (225). This quotation, and the portion of the text that it was taken from, shows that Aylmer believed he had the key to everyone’s problems. This egotism is the defining aspect of his character. Despite the fact that he tries to perfect the world around him, he is deeply imperfect. When Aylmer’s wife looks at his book of experiments, she understands that Aylmer is not as successful as he believes himself to be Hawthorne writes, “Much as he had accomplished she could not but observe that his most splendid suc