Final answer:
Hawthorne's "The Birthmark" reflects the Puritan attitudes toward human nature and perfection, critical of the desire to control and reshape what is natural, highlighting the destructive outcomes of such obsessions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "The Birthmark" reflects the Puritan attitude toward human nature, characterized by an obsession with moral perfection and the view of nature as a domain tainted by sin. The protagonist, Aylmer, represents the scientific and rational side of humanity, striving to create a world free from defects, mirroring the Puritan quest for righteousness. This reveals the dual Puritanical obsession with both the dominion over nature and the rejection of natural imperfection. The narrative illustrates the futile pursuit of absolute perfection and the consequential downfall when humanity's arrogance oversteps its bounds—a criticism of the Puritanical belief system that ultimately devalues the natural human condition.