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Examples Of Perfection In Flatland

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Expect Perfection in Flatland The first idea I would like to discuss from the book Flatland, is the idea that irregular shapes are either imprisoned, sent to therapy to be “fixed”, or destroyed at birth. This caused me to think of the many times humanity has mistreated or even tried to exterminate people who have handicaps or are born with irregularities. The hot topic of abortion also comes to mind, as many women decide to take the life of their unborn child because a doctor told them the child could be born irregular or have mental disabilities. I found a direct correlation of this disturbing practice on page 25 of Flatland, “An infant whose angle deviates by half a degree from the correct angularity is summarily destroyed at birth.” Flatland …show more content…

In Flatland, women are straight lines and it is not possible for them to be bent or even have irregularities. They are born perfect, although not necessarily valued or respected in society. In society today, women are expected to be perfect and they are surprisingly not. When a woman has a aspect of her body that she deems less then perfect, she simply goes to the local plastic surgeon and “fixes” it for a couple hundred dollars. Social media has fed into this idea that perfection is the standard for beauty and anything less than that is deemed ugly. Women and men are photoshopped and people on social media post photos that portray their lives as anything less than perfect. This has caused men (and women) to assume that women look like the photoshopped models in their social media feed and they are disappointed when women in real life do not meet this impossible standard. Furthermore, people become envious when they see how fun or exciting other people’s “perfect” lives look on social media. They feel if they are not living a life full of parties, exciting adventures, and sex, then they are missing out on living the perfect life. These people feel like they are not worth anything because compared to everyone else’s perfect social media life, their life is not worth living. As in the Flatland society, perfection is valued and …show more content…

In Flatland, shapes who have ideas about the origin of light, other dimensions, and anything that the circle priests deem to be radical ideas, are imprisoned in asylums and sometimes silenced forever by execution. Although this sounds like a very corrupt Communist society, I have decided not to discuss the political aspect of this idea. Furthermore, insane asylums treated the insane in cruel and unusual ways in the 1800s. Insane patients were deemed unfit for society and put in asylums where they were experimented on and tortured. Just like the society in Flatland, people who are deemed irregular or that deviate from society’s normal are ostracized and mistreated. I personally think that it is dangerous to give society so much power that it constitutes what is normal and then to the extreme, it constitutes what is

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Imperfections must exist to create a perfect world; on the other hand, perfection constructs

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In the novel The Chrysalids by John Wyndham we see a society who values conformity and perfections over everything, failing to realize the imperfections they all contain. Some have hidden imperfections, which once found out are seen as mutant abilities. Others have such messed up, and horrid morals and beliefs, ones which are far from perfect. Then if you try to compare the people of Waknuk to the Sealand people you notice that they will always find imperfections in the other. This novel shows that although they may only notice visible mutations and imperfections you can find something imperfect in everyone.

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In the story Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, written by Edwin A. Abbott, there are many dimensions in which the main character, A. Square travels. Throughout the traveling of this square, we learn about how many of the different societies function and how they respond. Many of these events as mentioned in Flatland, still occur today or have occurred in the past. Some of these parallel events between our society and the ones mentioned in Flatland often revolve around religion or beliefs. This is exposed in the novel through the meeting of A. Square and Lord Sphere, the Colour Bill, and A. Square’s return to Flatland.

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In “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is based on a scientist, Aylmer, who is obsessed with perfection. Aylmer strives for perfection through science, not nature. He thinks everything can be fixed with science and falls to the temptation to fix his wife's natural imperfection. Aylmer, a man of science, is preoccupied with his profession and just wanted to prove science that science was the only perfect thing that existed. He also wanted to prove that science was perfect unlike nature, which was full of flaws, according to him.

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Imagine a world where imperfections are seen as blemishes to be eradicated, where the desire for flawlessness consumes both individuals and the society at large. The short story “The Birth-Mark,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, weaves a tale that not only captivates our imagination but also forces us to confront the consequences of our relentless pursuit of an unattainable ideal. It revolves around a scientist named Aylmer and his wife Georgiana. Georgiana has a small birthmark on her cheek, and Aylmer becomes obsessed with removing it, seeing it as a flaw rather than a beautiful part of his wife. As the story goes on, it reveals various issues prominent in society and human nature in general as it serves as a powerful critique of society’s obsession

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The theme of a man’s obsession with striving for perfection is expressed in Hawthorne’s short story, “The Birthmark.” The protagonist of this work of literature is an incredibly talented scientist by the name of Aylmer who has recently married a remarkably attractive woman whose name is Georgiana. Despite being breathtakingly beautiful, Georgiana has a birthmark in the shape of a red hand on her left cheek, which disgusts Aylmer to a rather massive extent. An example of his unhealthy fixation upon Georgiana’s birthmark would be on the fourth page of this work of literature,“At all the seasons which should have been their happiest, he invariably and without intending it, nay, in spite of a purpose to the contrary, reverted to this one disastrous

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Making Georgiana perfect ultimately results in her death. One might argue human nature is to be in continual improvement, whether towards self-confidence, for bragging rights, or to impress/become notable. The search for success is typically an admirable trait. However, when this trait is taken to extremes it can be detrimental to oneself and others involved. Through symbolism and character analysis “The Birth-Mark” suggests that tragedies occur if the strive for perfection hinders morality.

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Sheep have been testing subjects to this, and nature shows even though we can try and make clones of these beings, they only end up dying cause nature never intends for such things. This is shown in the story when Aylmer finally removes his wife's birthmark, however, nature itself takes away Georgina's life in return for his negligence. Perfection can also entitle itself within other subjects where nature also plays a major role. This is like religion and how everyone views their own as perfect, however, do to our own natures, man will always come to question and oppose others from their own viewpoints. How Aylmer was slow getting more and more disgusted with Georgiana's birthmark even though she and others felt it was a wonderful piece of

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Although many know that perfection is not realistically achievable, perfection is thrusted upon people from parental and educational expectations. Pressure for perfection is derived from parental expectations. Parents pride themselves on having “perfect” children and they pit themselves against other parents when it comes to who has the better child. This competition causes parents to put unachievable goals upon their child in order to “win” the race between other parents.

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Though these people were more than often ostracized. They were hidden in their homes by their family in “cellars, caged them in pigpens, or put under the control of servants” (Porter) because it was shameful to have a family member with mental problems because at the time family honor played a big role in hierarchy. However, some families would throw them into the streets to be abandoned and put in jail because they were thought to be a treat to civilization. Because these people were deemed to be dangerous they would be beaten in public. It was also during this time that some of the first asylums were being made however these asylums were not made to help cure but just to facilitate so that these people would not be a disturbing the public.

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Aylmer is consumed with a pursuit of perfection in his scientific studies and also in nature. The leads to Aylmer being appalled at the blemish on his wife Georgiana’s cheek. He tells Georgiana “you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature, that this slightest possible defect..shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection” (216). This is the catalyst for Aylmer's seeking for perfection in his wife who is a natural being. Aylmer recognizes that there is a “fatal flaw of humanity, which Nature...stamps ineffaceable on all her productions” (216).

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At this day in age, perfection seems to be something everyone strives for. With the rise and popularity of social media it makes it a lot easier to create that false perfection. Whether you’re showing off your appearance, friends, partying, clothing, and traveling via social media, something is still missing within our pop culture obsessed society. Imperfections. The ugly truth is never projected where the rest of the world can see it.

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Society has always had the ultimate power because society rules over today and it has the sense and control over individuals to tell them what to do and tell them what is right and wrong. In the story Twain goes to write “Why, Tom Sawyer, how you talk,” I says; “Jim ain’t got no use for a rope ladder.” “He has got use for it. How youtalk, you better say; you don’t know nothing about it. He’s got to have a rope ladder; they all do.”

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Today everyone is obsessed with social media. People are easily influenced by almost everything they come across on the internet including appearance and body image. In todays generation it is so common to be unhappy with the way you look. All this is due to societies high standards on the way we “should” look. With social media you can do many things, including pretending to be someone you are not.

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