“Cinderella” by Anne Sexton and “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne deal heavily with the concept of perfection. Both works focus on the unattainability of perfection, but their authors view this fact from different angles. For Sexton, the ease with which Cinderella obtains what is called "happily ever after" is terribly unrealistic. For Hawthorne's Aylmer, it is the pursuit of total perfection that leads him to ignore how perfect his life is and the ruin his pursuits lead him to. Anne Sexton depicts the idyllic perfection seen in "Cinderella" and other fairy tales as both completely unrealistic and dismissive. The first can be seen in the subtle use of phrases such as "rather a big bundle for a mere bird" (Sexton 298) and "that's the way with amputations / they don't heal like a wish" (Sexton 298 ). 298). The first quote refers to how a simple dove dropped "a golden dress and delicate little golden slippers" (Sexton 298) at Cinderella's feet after she cried "like a gospel singer" (Sexton 298). In reality, there is no way the dove could support that kind of weight and still create enough lift to maintain its flight. Plus, the idea that crying and screaming like a four-year-old at the grocery store who doesn't get the sugary treat he wanted would be all the work necessary to fulfill his desires is absurd. The second quote refers to the actions taken by Cinderella's stepsisters, who must physically mutilate themselves in order to fit into a slipper. For the sisters to believe that they can simply cut off a toe or an ankle without the prince noticing is just ridiculous. The final stanza is perhaps the climax of Sexton's argument. Cinderella ...... middle of paper ...... 385), he would have seen that he was living the so-called "perfect life". Aylmer had a beautiful wife and would have lived happily with Georgiana for the rest of his life, if not for his desire to ensure that Georgiana would not be spoiled by nature. “Cinderella” and “The Birthmark” are stories of perfection. The first shows how stupid and unrealistic the ideals of perfection seen in "Happily Ever After" stories are. The latter shows how easily the obsession with perfection leads to ruin. However, both literary works reveal how perfection is something that is unattainable and will always remain out of reach. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathanial. “The birthmark.” Introduction to literature 5th ed. Ed. Findlay et al. Toronto: Nelson, 2004. 372-385. Sexton, Anne. "Cinderella." Introduction to literature 5th ed. Ed. Findlay et al. Toronto: Nelson, 2004. 296-299.