“Cinderella” by Anne Sexton and “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne deal strongly with the concept of perfection. Both works focus on the unattainability of perfection, but their authors see this fact in different lights. For Sexton, the ease with which Cinderella achieves her so-called “happily ever after” is disgustingly unrealistic. For Hawthorne's Aylmer, it is the pursuit of total perfection that causes him to ignore how perfect his life is and the ruin to which his activities lead him. Anne Sexton portrays the idyllic perfection seen in "Cinderella" and other fairy tales as both completely unrealistic and contemptuous. The former can be seen in the subtle use of phrases such as “quite a big package for a mere dick” (Sexton 298) and “that's the way with amputations / they don't heal just like a wish” (Sexton 298). The first quote refers to how a simple dove dropped “a golden dress and delicate gold slippers” (Sexton 298) at Cinderella's feet after she cried “like a gospel singer” (Sexton 298). In reality, the dove could not, under any circumstances, carry that kind of weight and still create enough lift to maintain flight. Furthermore, the idea that crying and screaming like a four-year-old at the grocery store who doesn't get the sugary treat he wanted was all the work it took to make his wishes come true is absurd. The second quote refers to the actions taken by Cinderella's stepsisters, who need to physically mutilate themselves in order to fit into a slipper. That the sisters believe they can simply cut off a toe or ankle without the prince noticing is nothing short of ridiculous. The last stanza is perhaps the pinnacle of Sexton's argument. Cinderella...... middle of paper...... 385) would see that she 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 make Georgiana intact by nature. Both “Cinderella” and “The Craving” are stories of perfection. The first shows how silly and unrealistic the ideals of perfection seen in "happily ever after" stories are. The latter demonstrates how easily obsession with perfection leads to ruin. However, both literary works reveal how perfection is something unattainable and will always remain out of reach. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathanial. “The desire”. Introduction to Literature 5th ed. Eds. Findlay et al. Toronto: Nelson, 2004. 372-385.Sexton, Anne. "Cinderella." Introduction to Literature 5th ed. Eds. Findlay et al. Toronto: Nelson, 2004. 296-299.