Essay on Obsession with Perfection - 453 Words

Perfection may be dreamed of, hoped for, and sought after. It can be imagined, imitated, pretended, poorly masqueraded, and foolishly impersonated. Yet as Vince Lombardi said, perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. There are many different perceptions and reasons for striving after perfection; but in the end, everyone ultimately comes up with the same conclusion. The desire for perfection stems from a desire to be happy, to live in an ideal existence, lacking nothing, fully developed, and complete. The only way to be happy in a life obsessed with perfection is to accept imperfections and realize perfection is not something to do; it is something to become next. All people, in certain†¦show more content†¦About the quest- seeking perfection- there are both pros and cons. The cons seem to far out-weigh the pros. Striving for perfection attempts to improve self-esteem and self-worth; but when that fails, feelings of insecurity, self-doubt, and regret will inevitably ensue. This desire, however, does give one something to focus on. It is when that focus turns into obsession that problems occur. A perfectionist, although very organized and detail oriented, even a producer of incredible work, will become overly stressed, resulting in relationship problems, depression, poor health, and feelings of worthlessness. Whether a person is inwardly or outwardly obsessed with perfection, someone will end up not good enough. If society continues on this relentless path towards perfection it may lead to extremes. In The Birthmark, Nathaniel Hawthornes main character states my peerless bride,Show MoreRelatedScholarship Boy Essay934 Words   |  4 PagesRodriguez’s The Scholarship Boy discusses the issue with scholarship students. He argues the overachieving student has an eager obsession with learning. Although Rodriguez addresses the scholarship boy obsession with success, he fails to describe the undergoing stress of the overachieving student. The determination of an overachieving student causes an obsession with perfection. Rodriguez explains the concept of an overachiever and their want to always be perfect. In paragraph 15, Rodriguez evaluatesRead MoreInterpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa LahiriProcess of Romanticism1485 Words   |  6 Pageslove, in a sense, so that reality may not be so harsh. Thus, the idea of romanticism arises, where a person inflates an object or an idea to perfection, so that a person may love. In the story â€Å"Interpreter of Maladies,† by Jhumpa Lahiri, Mr. Kapasi, and both Mr. and Mrs. Das experience the need for love, and also strive for it. This act of creating perfection is a series of steps that enrich life. The first step in romanticism, the encounter with the object of interest, brings hope to a forlorn soulRead MoreThe Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne1081 Words   |  5 Pagesunusual obsession to his wife’s, Georgiana, hand-like birthmark. Aylmer’s abnormal obsession is so extensive, the birthmark even consumes him in his sleep dreaming of an operation for the removal and cringing anytime he sees it. Georgiana is completely in love with Aylmer that she’ll do anything to make him happy, even jeopardize her own life undergoing procedures to remove the birthmark. Within the narrative, Hawthorne reveals three important themes. This includes the striving for perfection, the women’sRead MoreThe Tell Tale Heart And The Birth Mark Only A Couple Of Months Apart1428 Words   |  6 Pagespresumably his father. Similarly, The Birth-Mark narrates the story of a young couple, Aylmer and Georgiana, and how the latter’s birthmark becomes the obsession of the form er. Poe and Hawthorne’s literary genre of Dark Romanticism opposes human perfectibility, and both writers employ symbolism, irony, similar characters and plot to convey the theme that obsessions will inevitably lead to destruction. The authors of American Romanticism held a particular disdain for science, which they made visible throughRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Salem Witch 1328 Words   |  6 PagesThe story explores the concept of human obsession with physical perfection. In the story, the reader observes the main character, Aylmer, as he struggles with accepting his wife’s only physical imperfection, a hand shaped birthmark on her left cheek (Wright). As a solitary alchemist, and with approval from his now insecure wife, Aylmer begins to construct a special draught to rid his love, Georgiana, of the blemish, making her an entire work of perfection. The hand shaped birth mark on Georgiana’sRead MoreThe Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne1185 Words   |  5 Pagesdeath and that when man manipulates something as powerful as Nature, terrible things can occur. Aylmer is a scientist whose strives for perfection and is blinded by his love for science, resulting in the death of his wife due to his attempt to overpower Nature and dispose of the birthmark on her cheek. This signifies the ultimate reality that man cannot achieve perfection by defeating Nature. Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Birthmark† demonstrates how the writer uses the development of charactersRead MoreThe Birthmark By Nathaniel Hawthorne1493 Words   |  6 PagesHawthorne’s short story, â€Å"suggests his resistance to the expansive materialism of America s new technology as well as to the excessive spirituality of its philosophers.† The short story, â€Å"The Birthmark† by Nathaniel Hawthorne articulates the obsession with human perfection through symbols, characters’, and narrator. Aylmer, a man devoted entirely to his science, marries Georgiana, a beautiful young woman with a single â€Å"earthly imperfection† (291). This imperfection is in resemblance of a tiny â€Å"crimson hand†Read MoreThe Adonis Effect On The Lgbt Community1330 Words   |  6 Pagesand their â€Å"obsession† with physical perfection, and what lengths men will go to to achieve this unrealistic ideal. I mentioned in the introduction that I had watched clips from a documentary called the Adonis Effect. The clips were of men talking about their own experiences, some who love the attention and fit the perfect mold. Others were of men who had tried for years to attain physical perfection and never could. And there were some who had completely rejected the notion of perfection and embracedRead MoreEssay about Analysis of quot;The Birthmarkquot;963 Words   |  4 Pagesinner beauty, is a whole lot more important. They are a small minority. Most of us strive for perfection in appearances--it may be our own personal appearance defined by the perfect clothes and the perfect look, the perfect home we live in, or the perfect car we absolutely must have. People today are no different today than they were in the 19th century, and we get an in depth understanding of the obsession with being perfect in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Birthmark. This short story is about a devotedRead MoreObsessive C ompulsive Disorder ( Ocd )974 Words   |  4 Pageshas a series of obsessions and compulsions episodes. Obsessions are uncontrolled and re-occurring unwanted and disturbing images, thoughts and urges that may come into a person’s mind, which causes a great sense of discomfort, stress and anxiety. Meanwhile, compulsions are behaviors or actions that the person may engage in an attempt to get rid or reduce the obsession. Most often, compulsions will become part of a ritual or habit that the person needs to do to get satisfy his obsession. A normal example