Tattoos And Teenagers Summary

In the past people who have tattoos or piercings would not qualified be considered eligible for many job opportunities. However, in recent years tattoos and piercings become have become more acceptable in the society. There are more than 45 million people just in the USA who have a tattoo or (Diane. 2012). Even though getting tattooed and pierced is more acceptable than ever, there are still many conflicts about tattoos and piercing between teens and their parents, elders, and the society. “On Tattoos and Teenagers” Andres Marin tried to address the main three reasons why teens are getting tattoos or piercing. Was he successful in addressing the reasons? We will get back to this question once we read his summary.

Andres Martin wrote

an article called “On Tattoos and Teenagers” in his article, Andres addressed three main reasons why teens get tattoos or piercings. Based on Andres thoughts, teens create their identity through the tattoo. Identity crisis is a normal part of teen’s life. Getting tattoos or piercings makes them feel unique and special. Having a tattoos or piercings seems to be most valuable thing in their life. Most teens get their favorite Bible verses, their beloved one’s name, or a memorable event icon. Teens tend to desire tattoos due to the idea of permanency. Tattoos lasts for a life time. So teens get a tattoo to keep their most valuable things in life with them for a long time. Andres also reminds us how teens and society have a constant conflict with the tattoo and piercing idea. Parents, elders and the society still relate tattoos as an evil act. They also assume teens who have a tattoo are disgraceful and not law abiding citizens. “Tattoos and Teenagers” also addresses the peer pressure associated with tattoos.

Andres Martin’s writing is formal, has a lot of comparison and metaphors. He displayed a fantastic usage of connotation, however, the article lacks qualitative data. Andres focuses on a quantitative data as the main evidence to support his arguments.
In academic writing besides, content, the writing style plays a very big role. Andres’s writing in general is formal. Throughout “Tattoos and Teenager “Andres’s usage of the third person is very common. Andrea was able to state the reality more than his opinion. However, Andrea uses first person a couple of times throughout his paper. For instance, on the opening introduction, he says “Tattoos and piercing have become part of our everyday landscape” on the example Andrea use first person plural word “our” to show how he is one part of the society and his relation with the topic.

Comparisons and metaphors help a reader to have very visual ideas.

Andres able to illustrate his idea into readers’ mind by using comparison words and metaphor techniques across the article. For instance, “Like hairdo, make up, or baggy jeans, tattoos and piercing can be subjected to fade influence or peer pressure in an effort toward group affiliation” (Martin, 2000). It is interesting how Andres compares tattooing and piercing to the makeup and a baggy jeans. He uses makeup and a baggy jeans to show the trending style of the culture and how it has a power to influence teens. The child psychiatrists can easily understand how the number of teens getting tattoo and pierce from the result of peer

pressure
Andres ability to use connotation is very strong. According to the urban dictionary connotation is associated with a secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its primary meaning “Tattooing and piercing can go a long way resolving such a difference and can become a novel and additional way to get to know a teen”. (Martin, 2000,) The word novel stands more than the literal meaning of Novel or fiction book. In this context Andrea uses it someone’s personal character. Andres is trying to show how a person is able to figure things out about someone’s life based on the tattoo he/she has.

One thing I have noticed that is missing from the Andres’s writing is quantitative evidence. There was not any chart or table which shows evidence. Andres seems to prefer using qualitative evidence on his paper. His positions are more emotional with his audience than factual. An academic writing should focus on facts. I don’t think it is a good idea to place a writer’s opinion on the readers. Academic essay should be unbiased and should be based on facts. For this reason, I thought Andres might lose some interest from his audience. Mostly people. When a person uses a quantitative evidence, it gives him/her a more facts and makes the reader to realize how serious the problem is or is not.

Even though I liked what Andres said in his page, I don’t agree with some of the points. For instance, Andres thinks getting a tattoos or piercings as a sign of being an adult. I think Andre is missing of the point, what an adult is all about. An adult is more complicated. The main thing about being an adult is being responsible and following the rules. Are the teens following the rule or their perpetual wants? That is a personal question we all have to answer.
I don’t personally want to have a tattoo. I grew up in the a culture where tattooing and piercing were signs of being rebellious or being in a gang. In general, tattoos are very hated in my country of Ethiopia. I also think, once I am old, when my skin gets loose and becomes very wrinkly, the tattoos actually will not look good at all. Most people who have gotten tattoo when they were young told me they regret having done it. I just want to keep my body clean and stay away from the tattoo, to save myself from any later regret. So, the idea I have grown up with about tattoos are not positive. I don’t want to look back and regret it once I am a parent when my kids ask me why I have the tattoo, as well. However, I respect people’s right to get a tattoos. I don’t judge them just because they have a tattoo.

“Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves.

I am the LORD” Leviticus 19:28. I am not a theologian to why the Bible says that verse in the old testament. But I know we cannot take one phrase out of the bible and say that tattoos are right or wrong. I think at that time God wants the Israelites to not tattoo any other god’s name on their bodies. So do I think that the tattoo is a sin? In the old testament people has to live by rules and regulations, but in the new testament the heart is judged more than any action. The question shouldn’t be what we tattooed, but what was the intention behind the tattoo. If a person gets a tattoo to glorify God and he/she has a good intention, then it is absolutely not a

sin.
Andres art work can help he child psychiatrist to get to know their patient very well. Knowing about the teen can help the child psychiatrist to avoid making any judgment about them.
In conclusion, Andres’s writing was successful. He was able to address the main three reasons why teens are getting a tattoo or piercing with his academics writing. He reached his audience with his piece of writing. The content and the style of writing helps Andres to reach his audience. His writing was formal because of his usage of the third person on his writing. Throughout his writing, it very clear Andrea’s great knowledge how to use comparison, metaphors and connotation words. However, I think the lack of quantitative data makes Andres’s writing more opinion that fact. I am very pleased with Andre’s writing. After reading ’Tattoos and Teenagers” I am able to understand more about the reasons teens actually are getting a tattoo or piercing.