The class lecture about “The Birthmark” was very informative. We discussed how the birthmark was an allegory, which communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation. The birthmark was created by God and to tamper with it was to destroy nature. It was a blessing that man turned into a horror. The birthmark symbolized how humans cannot accept something that is imperfect and it shows us that we too often destroy the things we love by trying to turn the good enough into the perfect. This human flaw is deadly but people still strive for it. This story made me think about how people try to be perfect when it really is impossible to be flawless. All people make mistakes and have imperfections. It’s how we decide to view these imperfections that counts.
The concept of the allegory is a tool used to present an idea, principle or meaning, which can be presented in literary form but it also exists in all areas of life. There are symbols in our everyday life. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon is a symbol meaning stop. A cross is a symbol of Christianity. We have music that is played at a wedding or a funeral. All of these are allegories because they communicate a message by symbols. An allegory in a story usually represents something far greater than itself. The concept of the allegory made me think about different meanings things can have so now I try to see other meanings to the obvious ones presented.
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