Project #4: The Lights of I-Self
A Short Essay
I
am I am I; —Yeats |
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Points
Possible: 10
|
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 your instructor, a family member, or a friend, describe and explain your choice in detail, discussing in particular what it reveals about 1) who you are and who you understand yourself to be; 2) your values and where your values came from; 3) your chief conflicts, issues, concerns, problems; 4) your dreams, vision of future. 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 took a deep breath
and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am. —Sylvia
Plath, The
Bell Jar I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam. —Popeye |
You're nobody till somebody loooooves you. —Dean Martin |