In part one, "Bloodlights," there is imagery surrounding the color red and blood; the basins of red expectorant; the blood from abortions; the red of the Aurora Borealis lights. Since even in this chapter most readers know that the story is about a tattoo artist, red seems to be a compelling color to wrap around the novel. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Follow the images of blood and the color red that occurs throughout the novel and interpret the individual images and then write an analysis of the symbolic meaning of the color red and blood.

2. Write an essay on the use of symbols in this book. Choose three symbols that seem important and discuss their significance and meaning, using specific examples. How does the use of the symbols enhance your understanding of textual meaning? Or does it? How would the text change if the symbols were not used?

3. Write an essay on the use of symbols in our everyday life. Choose several symbols that seem universal to American culture and discuss their significance and meaning. Why are symbols used? Are they a sort of shorthand to express concepts? Use specific examples.

Essay Topic 2

The following idea is found in Part 1, "Bloodlights": Symbols from sports, the religion of the masses, along with hearts and flowers are easily understood, but women and fish intertwined are something entirely different. The association is primal and instinctual. Cy can draw dozens of mermaids in a variety of provocative, sultry, saucy poses. The smell, taste and slipperiness of the territory men worship between a woman's legs are transformed into images as aphrodisiac as oysters. The designs have been perfected over centuries, half woman, half cunt-fish and eternal sex. Choose one of the following and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Respond to the statement above and answer the following questions: What does this statement mean to you? Is it sexist? Does it portray women in a derogatory fashion? Or set them up on an unreachable pedestal? Compare and contrast the way you think a man would interpret the above statement versus a woman.

2. Trace the image of the mermaid throughout the text citing where it appears and analyze the context within the situation where it appears. How does the image of mermaids fit into the context of the book as a whole?

3. In Part 1, Salvaging Renaissance, Cy thinks to himself that he would like to court some of the customers, but he knows Riley's rules of courtship are to learn to slap, grip, fist and dog-mount them. How is that statement like and unlike the one mentioned at the beginning? What does each statement say about Cy as a man? About Riley as a man?

Essay Topic 3

As Cy is working for Riley after his mother has died, Cy continues to judge life by Reeda's standards for many years after she dies. Eventually, he begins to judge life by Riley's standards. After he has moved to Brooklyn and lives in a world of which Riley nor Reeda know anything, their ideas still greatly influence his interpretations of the life around him. Answer the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Discuss how Riley's influence is still a large part of Cy's life in America.

2. Discuss how his mother's ideas inform Cy's adult life--be sure to include specific examples.

3. At what point in Cy's life does Cy begin formulating his own ideas about life? Give examples. Do Reeda's and Riley's influence ever completely fade out of Cy's mind?

(see the answer keys)

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