Show:
Elements of short story in "The Birthmark"
Symbolism
Elements of short story part 2
Plot
General story questions
100
What is the setting in "The Birthmark?"
What is Aylmer's house, lab, boudoir
100
What does the birthmark symbolize?
What is moral imperfection
100
Give a theme from the story.
What is man is sinful; do not try to change Nature or play God; be content; spiritual perfection is unattainable without God...
100
What is the resolution in the story?
What is Georgianna dies and Aylmer's experiment fails
100
How do men view the birthmark?
What is they are indifferent about it. Some men like it and some men don't.
200
Give an example of internal conflict in the story.
What is Georgianna has the internal conflict on whether she should remove the birthmark.
200
What does Aylmer's book symbolize?
What is his failures
200
What is an allegory?
What is when a story has a deeper meaning.
200
What is the climax?
What is the birthmark is removed.
200
How do women view the birthmark?
What is they view it as a bloody hand and hideous.
300
Explain the person vs. nature conflict in the story
What is Aylmer tries to change and conquer Nature by removing the birthmark.
300
What does the boudoir symbolize?
What is the good side of Aylmer or the person he wants to be
300
What is the allegory in the story?
What is the experiment to remove the birthmark is a deeper meaning/ lesson for Aylmer to learn. He learns that his obsession with spiritual perfection and striving for power over nature is sinful and imminent failure.
300
What is the falling action?
What is Georgianna tells Aylmer she is dying.
300
How does Georgianna view her birthmark at the beginning? How does she view it after the beginning of the story?
What is a charm and as an imperfection/barrier to happiness
400
What is the point-of-view used?
What is third person
400
What does the shape of the birthmark symbolize?
What is the hand-shaped birthmark symbolizes the grip it has on Georgianna and her life
400
What is Georgianna a symbol of to Aylmer? Why is this ironic?
What is spiritual perfection. It is ironic because she could've helped him to spiritual advancement is he would've just been content with her. However, he kills her and condemns himself to never achieve spiritual advancement.
400
What is the rising action?
What is Georgianna agrees to have the birthmark removed.
400
What type of scientist was Aylmer in his youth versus now?
What is an accomplished/praised scientist. Now he is a failure.
500
Who are the protagonists and antagonists?
What is Aylmer is the protagonist. Aylmer is also the antagonist to himself. Georgianna is a protagonist. Aylmer is the antagonist to her.
500
What does Aminadab symbolize?
What is the physical man
500
Give three examples of foreshadow in the story.
What is Aylmer's dream where he removed both her birthmark and heart. Constant references to the birthmark as "fatal." Constant references to Georgianna being "pale." SO MANY MORE
500
Give three instances that are part of the exposition.
What is Aylmer marries Georgianna, he asks her about removing the birthmark, and he explains his dream of successfully removing the birthmark.
500
Name all of the things (at least 5 things) that happen after Georgianna drinks the potion.
What is she falls asleep, Aylmer studies her and records notes in his book, she tells Aylmer she is dying, she chastises Aylmer, Aminadab laughs, Georgianna dies, the moment is too strong for Aylmer.