Blog Prompt #4: Let's Try Again

Sourpatch Kids:

Let's try again at some rhetorical analysis to make up for some lackluster posts last week.

Choose any image from the following link CNN Photos and in 300-400 words make a brief argument about the visual, examining its content to use as supporting evidence.

*You must include the image in your post. Do not describe what the photograph looks like. Analyze it to back up your claim.*

This is an important post for you all. If you do a thorough analysis this week, I will consider not grading for content in future blogs.

I know you are all capable of doing this well. Give it some thought. :)

Ms. B

Gemini

Tattoos are permanent, which means that whatever image a person selects for their tattoo must be one that they will not regret getting thirty years later.  They have to be completely certain of their choice or they risk regretting it later.  That being said, the best choice for a tattoo is something significant which the person is certain will still be relevant and important to them in thirty years.  The image above illustrates a tattoo of the word Gemini overtop of the Roman numeral two.  There are sparkles and glitter surrounding the image.  The tattoo appears to be placed above the person's waist on their back.
The term gemini refers to the zodiac constellation Gemini.  This reference most likely means the person who got this tattoo is a gemini.  Geminis are born between the dates May 22 to June 21.  They are typically characterized by having a duality in their identity.  For example, they may be brilliant in regards to their studies but also lack common sense.  A simplification of their personalities is that they are people who think of themselves as good while being passive aggressive towards others that they dislike.  They are almost entirely governed by their mood.  If they are in a bad mood they are more likely to act in an unreasonable way that they will regret later.  On the other hand if they are in a good mood they are typically easy going, helpful, and confident.
The tattoo's main symbolism is regarding the gemini and the two.  The two obviously refers to the fact that gemini is a reference to twins.  The choice for the purple gemini as their tattoo suggests that this person is born under the gemini sign and possibly has a twin.  The color, sparkles and position of the tattoo suggest that the person is female.

Yeshua- A Jewish Reminder

Justin Bieber's Yeshua tattoo

     Many people these days get tattoos to match their lifestyle. Some get exquisite tattoos which are pieces of art and others get tattoos that are simple in every aspect. When I first saw that we had to post about a tattoo, the first image that came to my mind was not of Justin Bieber, who wears the tattoo, but of the Yeshua tattoo that he has inscribed on his side. Throughout my lifetime I have seen many of these tattoos written in the language of ancient Jews. This specific one however has an important message behind it, and if I were to get one this would be it. 

     This tattoo can say a variety of things about a person especially with the simple word that embodies its essence. The Hebrew word Yeshua can be translated to a variety of things, giving the rhetoric various meanings. In the case of Justin Bieber and myself this tattoo represents a religious connection. I am close with God and Justing Bieber got it for that reason too. For this interpretation Yeshua in English would mean “He Saves,” or “Jesus” as a lasting reminder of the one who I believe as the savior and his importance. This tattoo would signify to me and to others that Jesus is important to me. It serves to remind the wearer to do good in their life because they have started one anew. The writing of the tattoo can also be translated to Joshua, my name. If I were to wear this tattoo, it would serve as a connection to the one I was named after and remind me to be like him. This is very important to me considering that Joshua was an unwavering follower of God. Therefore this tattoo means hope in my mind. To me and possibly others the Hebrew lettering itself reminds me of everyone’s common past that encompasses them reminding me that everyone is my family and that I should be the better person and treat them as such. 

     Something as simple as this Hebrew tattoo can mean a lot to someone. Any tattoo can be broken down into some meaning and analyzed. However, if this tattoo was on my wrist, it would be a deep glance into the man I am, and the man I long to be. 

Navy Tattoo

A tattoo can mean different things to everyone.  People get tattoos to symbolize something or pay respect to someone that was lost.  Many people get tattoos of the branch of service they served in.  This tattoo is a case of representing a branch of service.  This man was in the Navy and was proud of it.  People go into the service for many different reasons.  The Navy is the branch of service that is responsible for keeping coastal and international waters safe.  An anchor is what holds the ship down during a time of rest or while the boat is at bay.  An anchor has to be strong to be able to do its job.  The anchor on the mans arm shows that he is strong and was strong enough to handle serving in the Navy.  The placement on the arm tells that he wants everyone to see it.  It is something he is proud of.  The letters are not small and are easily recognizable.  They are in the middle of the tattoo and can be seen from a long distance.  Fellow Navymen can see this and an instant conversation is started.  The rope tied to the anchor symbolizes that the anchor is holding something down.  It may refer to the anchor giving the man strength knowing something is there to "anchor" him to something.  The rope is braided which means it is stronger and able to hold something big.  This tattoo appears to be big in size.  People are gonna notice this and inquire about it.  This man will take pride in telling them stories about his time in the service.  People get tattoos because they mean something.  This tattoo not only means something but it represents a period of his life that was special to him and will forever make an impact on his life.

Arm+Shark=No Arm Shark.

This tattoo ironically portrays the man’s humor towards his disabling condition. The image tattooed on the man’s arm is a shark’s head where the full arm used to be. While we do not actually know how his condition came to be, it can be inferred that his arm was bitten off by a shark. However, if this man did not lose his arm to a shark then it is still just a humorous take on a dire situation. Those who view this image of a shark on his arm will think of it as clever and interesting because the image is of an animal where there used to be an arm. One would probably want to know the story behind the tattoo which would probably tell the story of the lost arm. People seeing the tattoo will think the person was or is a daredevil or thrill seeker from the lost arm.

The image of a shark tattooed on his arm represents the masculinity of the person. The concept of a shark is powerful and ferocious as they are the predators of the sea. Adding in the open mouth of the shark further expresses this ferocity and can present the person as being one not to be tampered with. This person bearing the tattoo must have a good story to tell about his lost arm as the placement of the tattoo is visible for others to see.

The tattoo reflects an identity of a person whose arm was lost and replaced with a reminder of how it was lost. This person will live with the event for the rest of his life because he no longer has that arm. And the image of the shark will keep him remembering the time he lost his arm and how he survived the hardships associated with losing his arm.

Dream Catcher

My mom and I always have opposing views on this subject, but I think tattoos are a form of art that people put on their bodies to convey some message to the people around them.  Usually, the tattoo has some sort of deeper meaning that you have to engage in conversation with the person to figure out the reasoning behind the image and by doing that you learn more about that person or it can have an obvious message, like a cross.

            The image on the left is a tattoo that my friend got on the side of her stomach.  It is a large dream catcher.  Her mom also got the same tattoo on her shoulder at the same time.  My friend is visibly half white and half African American and has all of the features of an African American.  But she is also part Cherokee Native American.  I think she got the tattoo to show people that she is also part of a deeper culture besides the ones that you can see in her physical appearance.  The image of a dream catcher is a symbol of her Native American culture and shows to people that there is a lot more to her than you can see and she cares about her background and where her family came from.  Also, the fact that her mom got an identical tattoo shows the bond of her and her mother, who is white – they come from the same family and background even though it may not appear so.  The touches of color in the dream catcher give it a more vibrant look, which is exactly her personality and the fact that it covers up a whole side of her body displays the significance with which she holds the image and its message to.

Zodiacs and tattoos

Tattoos have as many meanings as there are cultures in the world, all in different sizes, shapes, and colors. These meanings can range from religion, personal beliefs, love, and other emotions. A tattoo is a form of art that never goes away and it can say a lot about the person who bares it and how the person is portrayed to others. Since they are so permanent someone has to put an immense amount of thought into whether to get one or not and what to get.

In this picture there is a tattoo of what looks like some type of crustacean with some sort of symbol as the body. For someone who does not know about astrology and the zodiac calendar, the symbol in the tattoo is the zodiac symbol for cancer. It is said that people born between the days of June 20 through July 22 are supposed to possess the qualities of cancer. This could mean that the person who sports this tattoo was born when the cancer constellation was present.

One may also be unaware that the cancer constellation is of a crab which explains why the symbol is decorated to have a crab-like appearance. People who possess cancer’s qualities are said to be like the crab which means the person wearing this tattoo could appear tough on the outside but is actually soft emotionally on the inside, just like the invertebrate that has an exoskeleton. The person could be very emotional and often cut off this emotional side to others to avoid getting hurt.

The fact that this person sports the tattoo on the arm so that everyone can see could also mean that the person is proud to be a cancer. People who see the tattoo and are knowledgeable of its meaning could that the person is in touch with its emotional side and does not want to hide it from the world.