I am I am I; All of creation shivers With that sweet cry. —Yeats

Points Possible: 6 Length: aprx. 2 pages

Background

Reread pages 105-106 of Rule of the Bone, in which Chappie picks out a tattoo.   Though more or less mainstream these days, "body art" still seems to make a special impression.   Consumer and fashion decisions, of course, say something about what we value, about how we view ourselves and hope to be viewed by others.  But a tattoo, as a relatively permanent decision, a symbol branded onto one's very body, obviously requires extra care.   And therefore the statement it makes about the bearer's identity is especially emphatic.   As Chappie himself remarks, ". . .a tattoo is like a flag for a single individual" (106).   Notice, for instance, what Chappie's own tattoo reveals about his identity—about his priorities, desires, needs, and essential problems—and even about the sources of his identity, including key people in his life.  If you were to get a tattoo, what flag, what Symbol For You would you choose, and why?  Or, if you have one already, why did you select the one you did? What key experiences or individuals (mentors) influenced your personal values and sense of self?

Instructions

For this last assignment, pick a real or imaginary tattoo for yourself.  In a two to three-page letter to someone you consider a mentor, describe and explain your choice in detail, discussing in particular what it reveals about 1) your values and where your values came from; 2) how your mentor contributed to your values (what that person taught you or how that person guided you); and 3) your vision of your personal future (any facet of it). Avoid discussing mere personality alone.  Try to clarify and articulate how you view yourself, what makes you distinct, and what is important to you.  Be sure also to examine the specific sources of, and influences on, your personal system of values, and your mentor's contribution to that system of values. Your purpose is to thank your mentor, and to explain to that person how they influenced your sense of self and personal identity.

Note: if the idea of a tattoo is genuinely unappealing to you, you may instead construct a personal zodiac, as Chappie does at the end of the novel. All other details of and criteria for the assignment apply to this alternative focus.

Evaluation Criteria

Your letter should have a clear description of your tattoo. It should show a helpful and meaningful structure, clear claims, and plenty of specific, vivid, descriptive details. The body should in some way include examination of the specific sources of, and influences on, your personal values. It should include some examination of your personal future.  Your letter should show clear attention to and respect for its intended reader (your mentor). Your work of course should be carefully edited to eliminate lapses in clarity, coherence, development and focus.  And it should be proofread, as always, for errors in mechanics and style.

I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam.    —Popeye

You're nobody till soooooomebody loves you.    —Dean Martin

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