Question

2. In “The Birthmark,” what does the birthmark represent for the two main characters, Aylmer and Georgiana? At the end of the story, what does the birthmark come to symbolize?

Answer 1

Mortality

Georgiana's birthmark symbolizes MORTALITY. According to the narrator, every living thing is flawed in some way, nature's way of reminding us that every living thing eventually dies. The hand-shaped mark on Georgiana's cheek is the one blemish on an otherwise perfect being, a blemish that marks her as mortal.