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In Burmese Days, the large blue birthmark on John Flory’s left cheek represents his alienation from British imperial society, which he tries but fails to hide. During the novel’s introductory description of Flory, it explains that the birthmark is “the first thing that one notice[s]” when looking at Flory, but that he is always turning sideways to people in a vain attempt to keep them from seeing it. This description heavily hints that the birthmark symbolizes some essential but socially maladaptive characteristic of Flory’s that he wants to hide from others. Later, readers learn that when Flory was a schoolboy, his classmates called him “Blueface” and “Monkey-bum” because of his birthmark until he won them over by mastering “the two things absolutely necessary for success at school”: lying and playing football (soccer). This backstory suggests that while the birthmark represents Flory’s internal state of social difference and alienation from others, he can compensate for that difference by conforming—at least temporarily.
Notably, early in Flory’s romance with Elizabeth Lackersteen, a young Englishwoman newly arrived in Burma where the adult Flory works as a timber merchant, Elizabeth “scarcely notice[s]” his birthmark despite its physical prominence, suggesting symbolically that Elizabeth fails to realize how different Flory is from the other British men in colonial Burma. By contrast, after Elizabeth has learned of Flory’s strong sympathies with colonized people and his former sexual relationship with a Burmese woman named Ma Hla May, Elizabeth describes on Flory’s birthmark as “dishonouring” and “unforgivable,” language that indicates that she sees the birthmark as a symbol for Flory’s pro-Burmese sympathies and distaste for imperialism, which British colonial society cannot accept. Finally, after Elizabeth rejects a disgraced Flory and he dies by suicide, his birthmark “fade[s] immediately,” a detail suggesting that British society will quickly forget about Flory as an individual, including his social alienation and strongly held beliefs, after his death.
Birthmark Quotes in Burmese Days
The Burmese Days quotes below all refer to the symbol of Birthmark. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 2
Quotes
The first thing one noticed in Flory was a hideous birthmark stretching in a ragged crescent down his left cheek, from the eye to the corner of the mouth. Seen from the left side his face had a battered, woebegone look, as though the birthmark had been a bruise—for it was a dark blue in color. He was quite aware of its hideousness. At all times, when he was not alone, there was a sidelongness about his movements, as he manoeuvred constantly to keep the birthmark out of sight.
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Chapter 14
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If only he would always talk about shooting, instead of about books and Art and that mucky poetry! In a sudden burst of admiration she decided that Flory was really quite a handsome man, in his way. He looked so splendidly manly, with his pagri-cloth shirt open at the throat, and his shorts and puttees and shooting boots! And his face, lined, sunburned, like a soldier’s face. He was standing with his birth-marked cheek away from her.
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Chapter 24
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With death, the birthmark had faded immediately, so that it was no more than a faint grey stain.
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Get the entire Burmese Days LitChart as a printable PDF.
Birthmark Symbol Timeline in Burmese Days
The timeline below shows where the symbol Birthmark appears in Burmese Days. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
Flory, a black-haired, haggard man of 35 with a large birthmark on his left cheek, walks from his house to the European Club with Flo, his...
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Chapter 4
...wives, has five children, and pities Flory for being “childish” and having such a large birthmark. Ko S’la informs Flory that Flory’s mistress Ma Hla May is coming to tea. Flory...
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Eventually, Ma Hla May and Flory do have sex, but afterward, Flory covers his birthmark—something he does when he feels ashamed. He demands Ma Hla May leave. When she complains...
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Chapter 5
Flory believes that his “trouble” comes from his birthmark. He recalls how his classmates in grammar school nicknamed him “Blueface” and “Monkey Bum”—until his...
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Chapter 6
...he becomes very conscious of her body. Embarrassed, Flory turns his face to hide his birthmark and asks where the woman came from. When she explains she came from her uncle’s,...
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Chapter 10
...every day, play cards, and talk about trivialities very easily—yet he’s constantly aware of his birthmark and never able to talk as seriously as his deep loneliness compels him to do....
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...Yet she still retains some of her first good impression of him—she barely notices his birthmark—and is excited to go hunting with him, as he has promised to take her.
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Chapter 13
...S’la hurries out and informs him Ma Hla May is there. Flory pales, emphasizing his birthmark. Ma Hla May, disheveled, appears in the doorway and ushers Flory into the bedroom. When...
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Chapter 14
...talks about hunting rather than “mucky poetry”—decides he looks very manly. (He’s sitting with his birthmark away from her.)
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...only then realize they’re holding hands. Flory’s about to kiss her when he remembers his birthmark and thinks, “not in daylight!” He drops her hands and picks up the dead bird...
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Chapter 15
...the brightness of the moon. Then he puts her arm around her and, indicating his birthmark, asks whether “this thing of mine” bothers her. When she says no, he kisses her—yet...
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Chapter 19
...Flory used to. (Whenever she thinks of Flory now, which isn’t often, she remembers his birthmark.) One evening, Verrall lets Elizabeth ride his white Arabian horse, whom no one else has...
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Chapter 20
...but he still wants her, though he feels he deserves her rejection due to his birthmark and past sexual history.
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Chapter 24
...in church, he is even willing to sit opposite her in the pews with his birthmark facing her. During the service, he thinks back to services in his home church in...
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...are disgusted, and Elizabeth stares at Flory with “revulsion,” seeming to see how horrible his birthmark is for the first time.
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...him. She could have forgiven “abominations,” but she can’t forgive the “scene” he caused, his birthmark, or his social disgrace.
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...an accident. Ko S’la indicates Flo’s corpse. Veraswami wraps up Flory’s body, on which the birthmark has faded to a “faint grey stain,” and orders Ko S’la to bury Flo so...
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