“The Seam of the Snail” a short story written by Cynthia Ozick. The story begins with Cynthia discussing memories of her childhood with her cousin Sarah. Her cousin Sarah was a perfectionist and could tell who made Cynthia’s dresses. Cynthia also notes in small detail her Uncle Jake’s perfection of building “meticulous grandfather clocks”, to later go on and discuss her mother. She writes of her mother as someone who could do it all, from simple housework to gardening. Her mother’s thoughts,
There was always some clear flaw, never visible head-on. You had to look underneath, where the seams were
Cynthia took this to heart relating everything she’s completed back to the detail of her as a child in the dress. Her mother always having to make sure everything was perfect and how it has affected Cynthia as she has grown up, to pay close attention.
She was an optimist who ignored trifles; for her, God was not in the details but in the intent.
This line truly showed the values that Cynthia’s mother noted everything is done with purpose. Cynthia has come to live her own life as such within the tasks she completes as well.
I am an exacting perfectionist in a narrow strait only, and nowhere else, is hardly to the point, since nothing matters to me so much as a comely and muscular sentence. It is my narro strait, this snail’s road; the track of the sentence I am writing now; and when I have eked out the wet substance, ink or blood, that is its mark, I will begin the next sentence.
Only in treading out sentences am I perfectionist; but then tehre is nothing else I know how to do, or take much interest in.
Within these quotes, it shows that throughout Cynthia’s entire life since childhood she has completed her life with purpose and intent. Always a perfectionist.