Blackbody Radiation and The Birthmark - Essay Example

The “I” Inside Technology: Inner Journeys through Scientific Investigations Some science fiction novels focus on the outward developments of science and technology, but two narratives eschew this theme in favor of spiritual discovery. Jeffrey Brown writes an elaborate story about a fifteen-year old genius Augustus and his quest to save another alien race, as well as his own race in the novel Blackbody Radiation and Ultraviolet Catastrophe. Another interesting narrative is a short story in 1843 from Nathaniel Hawthorn, The Birthmark. Aylmer wants perfection in everything, so the imperfection of his wife’s birthmark literally ruins him. This essay analyzes the inner progress of the main protagonists of these two stories, Aylmer and Augustus. They exemplify the importance of the inner self and growth, which scientific progress emulates but can never attain on its own. Some stories assert that scientists are male patriarchs, who do not respect the other sex, until they realize their wrongs are heavier than their scientific exploits. In Blackbody Radiation, Brown undercuts female stereotypes, because in his novel, Queen Ogaboom is a powerful and husbandless matriarch. Her kindness and intelligence help Augustus learn more about his strengths and weaknesses as a human being. Augustus gets help from several female figures in his journey that exposes to him the “universally important” (Brown 32). Aylmer does not attain the same kind of female insight. In The Birthmark, Georgina’s beauty mark instigates the patriarchal need for control over wives. Aylmer is an obsessive compulsiveness person and his “severe superego” breeds on dominance (Pollak 138). The setting of the story is their home, which alludes to the domesticity of the wife. Georgina is submissive and strong at the same time. She allows Aylmer to try removing her birthmark, as long as it will keep their marriage intact: “Danger is nothing to me; for life, while this hateful mark makes me the object of your horror and disgust…” (Hawthorne). At the same time, she places her whole faith in her husband’s intelligence, though she sensed something troubling, before the actual extermination of her birthmark: “…that there was a stirring up of her system--a strange, indefinite sensation creeping through her veins…” (Hawthorne). Aylmer proceeds with his quest, despite his own doubts in his abilities, because he believes that science is greater than nature. In the article, “Independence Day: Reinforcing Patriarchal Myths about Gender and Power,” Hobby realizes the essence of masculinity in science fiction novels. She argues that in these narratives, the female is the “other” that excites both desire and fear (41). Aylmer treats his wife as his other, with particular low perception of her identity. He does not allow his wife to stay as she is. His need for power and control compels him to change what is in her nature already. Technology helps people do what they want, but they can also be tools for “becoming.” Brown depicts humanity’s fallbacks and strengths. For him, humanity is at its apex, when they remain innocent and faithful. Augustus’ innocence turns him into an eligible universal leader. Faith is also critical, because it nourishes the soul: “All things grand and great come from faith. This is the only sure way to find your way out of here alive, alive in spirit and alive in mind. The true purpose of nature” (Brown 40). Humanity plunges down to its lowest levels, when it focuses on material and physical needs, such as power, money, and fame. Augustus learns that people, who are devoted to things, are converted to dispensable things too. He becomes the leader that he should be, because he rises above these superficial concerns and finds the spirit that binds all species. Aylmer takes technology in another path, however. As a person, obsessive compulsiveness enables Aylmer to cope with the stress of feeling “inadequate” with his knowledge, characterized with religious alacrity and intonations. The major obsession here of Aylmer is not the birthmark only, but the pursuit of perfect knowledge, the main theme of the story. Georgina sees the books of plentiful unsuccessful efforts of Aylmer. These books offer the ambiance of absolute determination and extreme anxiety: “His brightest diamonds were the merest pebbles, and felt to be so by himself, in comparison with the inestimable gems which lay hidden beyond his reach” (Hawthorne). Salkovskis (1985) indicates that compulsive behaviors are “means of coping with stress” and compulsions help defuse the stress (qtd. in Coles et al. 658). Aylmer becomes a successful scientist, because his success and failures with science helps him become a better scientist. Manlove explores the roles of machines in science fiction text in “Charles Kingsley, H.G. Wells and the Machine in Victorian Fiction.” For him, some technologies become “furnaces of experience,” although the knowledge can turn to “self-loathing” (214). In Aylmer’s case, he learns to hate himself for killing his wife. He becomes a better person, because he realizes his mistakes, but he pays for this knowledge dearly. Scientists are enamored with absolute knowledge, because it helps them understand the unknown inside them, but Aylmer has gone beyond his abilities to act like God, but only with catastrophic results. Augustus learns that “the true purpose of nature” is to “become,” and for him, to become is to know his greatness that lies in God-given abilities (Brown 40). Scientific knowledge and its accumulation parallel the learning that Augustus discovers about his identity. Soon, he understands that the physical and the material are nothing, and that is pure knowledge. Aylmer, on the contrary, realizes he cannot be God. Aylmer covets omniscient knowledge and the language of the story shows his obsession for this knowledge: “[he] attempted to fathom the very process by which Nature assimilates all her precious influences…” (Hawthorne). In the end, he realizes that his science is not greater than God’s designs. He cannot be complete as a person, if his inner life is broken. When Georgina dies, it depicts the powers of God that cannot be reversed or changed. It is a tragedy where Aylmer learns the limitations of his humanity. These two narratives of science fiction illustrate spiritual journeys. Technology and scientific processes act as tools that shape human destiny and identity. Augustus learns his strengths and weaknesses as a leader and human being. He hopes to save more people by helping them realize what is important in life. Aylmer learns the truth about God’s powers and his limitations, but he sacrifices the love of his life in return. These are two stories with two different endings. Yet, they say one thing: Science is embedded in humanity’s inner struggles and it can help break or build peoples’ identities. Works Cited Brown, Jeffrey. Blackbody Radiation and Ultraviolet Catastrophe. Lulu, 2006. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. Coles, Meredith E., Pietrefesa, Ashley S., Schoefield, Casey A., and Cook, Laura M. “Predicting Changes in Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms Over a Six-Month Follow-Up: A Prospective Test of Cognitive Models of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.” Cognitive Therapy & Research 32.5 (2008): 657-675. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. Academic Search Complete. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Birthmark. 1843. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. < http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/125/>. Hobby, Teresa Santerre. “Independence Day: Reinforcing Patriarchal Myths about Gender and Power.” Journal of Popular Culture 34.2 (2000): 39-55. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. Academic Search Complete. Manlove, Colin. “Charles Kingsley, H.G. Wells and the Machine in Victorian Fiction.” Nineteenth-Century Literature 48.2 (1993): 212-240. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. Academic Search Complete. Pollak, Jerrold. “Relationship of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Review of the Literature.” Journal of Psychology 121.2 (1987): 137-148. Web. 7 Aug. 2012. Academic Search Complete. Read More