Genetically Modified Organisms In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark

for his toxic plants. The insensitive scientist is unconcerned that his daughter has been permanently stained with toxins from the garden’s flowers. Consequently, Hawthorne depicts scientists as cold-hearted individuals who can be characterized as evil and merciless. However, several sources concerning GMO’s contradict this belief as scientists create food with better texture, flavor, and nutritional value. While Hawthorne focuses on scientists’ value of experimentation over human life, many articles describe how crops are modified to benefit society. Whether it be peanuts that limit allergic reactions or more nutritious rice, scientists are helping society immensely through the use of biotechnology.

Throughout “The Birthmark,” Aylmer wishes

Firstly, since GMO’s are relatively new, there has not been a great deal of information gathered about them. According to “Genetically modified food,” “some people worry that genetically modified foods are still relatively new and that experts may not have enough information about the safety of eating them.” Similarly, in “The Birthmark,” Aylmer had not conducted any research on his concoction which caused Georgiana to faint and eventually die. Although he believed the birthmark would diminish, Georgiana grew pale and fainted to her death. The evidence above supports Hawthorne’s negative perception of scientists because it may be too early to decide whether GMO’s are harmful in any fashion. Experts in the field of biotechnology may not have enough information to determine whether these foods pose long-term consequences. Another portion of evidence that supports Hawthorne’s view of scientists states that transgenic crops may spread out of control. As stated in “Genetically modified food,” “some fear that herbicide-tolerant GM crops might spread out of control, becoming herbicide-resistant weeds. They also worry that insect pests might become increasingly immune to crops designed to resist them.” Essentially, there is concern that these crops will become herbicide-resistant weeds that destroy other plants. This belief correlates to “The Birthmark” and “Rappaccini’s Daughter” because in both cases, an experiment