Share your literary essay with the rest of the students that chose this short story. Take some time to read 2 or 3 other essays. Comment on them. Your comment should be about something you noticed them doing well from our lessons. For example, "You did a really good job explaining your evidence"
ReplyDelete“ Eraser tattoo” by Jason Reynolds
Sophia LoveLace
“Eraser tattoo” is a short story written by Jason Reynolds that takes place at Shay's old apartment steps. What makes this story unique is that Shays and Dantes actions in Eraser Tattoo show the theme of Love is not always what it seems.
For example , Shay was rubbing an eraser into Dantes arm because she's moving away from him. This was hurting Dante a lot. The author had said “ it felt like nothing at first to Dante. No different than a finger rubbing” with this in mind Dante had gotten mad at the fact that Shay was making him get a eraser tattoo but he couldn't give her one, then Shay said “ am I not worth the pain?” that is showing that she was trying to control him and making it seem like she wanted too hurt him.
Another key point in the story Dante was still getting the eraser tattoo. Another thing on the negative side was “ it hurts Shay. It hurts. I didn’t at first but now it does.” All this text evidence showing that their love wasn't what it seemed like. Shay and Dante kept hurting each other even though Shay was the main denominator in this story. They kept fighting and making it very noticeable that they are still in love but it's not as happy as it seemed like to the readers. The way that they sometimes explain what their love was once . It is very different now. In other words, they are not as in love as they were before they found out she was moving away.
part 2
ReplyDeleteDante said “ I'm gonna buy you a plane ticket. And this house so we can live in it.” Shay just nodded that she didn't respond. Dante let Shay carve her initial into his arm. Dante was doing his very best to show that he loved her and she kept kinda just pushing him away, and like not believing him. But he wanted to keep his word and go through with it even though he was hurting badly. And he kept trying and trying to show Shay that he would do anything for her and he was starting to get mad at the fact that Shays made him feel bad if he didn't want to get the eraser tattoo.
When Shay was leaving to go to Wilmington, the author said “ Dante looked down at the S on his arm again. The burn white where brown used to be, he knew the sting wouldn't last forever but the scar would.” Which also shows the theme of love is not always what it seems especially when he's the only one showing the love. Shay was making it seem like she only wanted to hurt him. Frequently she kept saying those same things.
At this moment, it certainly could be said the author created a theme of losing love. While this is a good point, it fails to account for the fact that they are still in deep love but it's not a really good relationship. As a result, the theme is clearly love is not always what it seems.
Shay also said her dad would be very mad and had said that her dad would kill Dante if he did that. However, that's not making sense to Dante at all. He felt like Shay was just making up excuses to just not get the eraser tattoo of Dante's initial because she just didn't want it. She also kept saying she didn't believe him when he said he would do all of these things for her and she just nodded in disbelief. By all means it shows that their love was once very strong but now it's just been shown time and time again that it is not as strong as it used to be.
Clearly the theme of the story “ Eraser Tattoo” is love is not always what it seems this is first seen when the author had Shay giving Dante an eraser tattoo. That is because he was making it seem like Dante didn’t really want one. It was like he didn't want to have it but Shay was kind of making him do it and if he complained about it he didn’t love her.
Next the theme was created when used “I will buy you a plane ticket, and this house so we can live in it” and then Shay just nodded at Dante after he said that, like Shay didn't believe him after he said that. Or that she didn't care about it.
Finally the author used figurative language to create the theme. Readers saw that Dante was the only one pushing for the relationship and he was the only one who was trying and everytime that Dante tried to prove to Shay that he really loved her she kept pushing him off and kinda just ignoring him about it. As a result it is evident that the theme of “Eraser tattoo” is love is not always what it seems.
Your intro really pulled me in and made me think of what the story is about.
Delete(Part 1) This is a short story about a girl and a boy who were deep in love and met each other years ago and recently the girl, her name is Shay, is moving away and the boy who’s named Dante, Dante is sad and wants a way to remember Shay when she leaves. They agreed awhile ago that they would be getting a eraser tattoo. Which is when you rub your skin with an eraser until it burns then you draw with a pencil and it leaves a permanent scar. Surely this story is trying to say that love is lost when one sided.
ReplyDeleteSome important parts in the story that explain this are when Shay was giving Dante an eraser tattoo, it was hurting him. The author had said, “It felt like nothing at first to Dante. No different than a finger rubbing.” this shows that he doesn’t really want it but he isn’t hurting right now. not long after, Dante had gotten mad at the fact that Shay didn’t want to get his initial but he had to have hers. However she says this when he asked, “so am I not with the pain?” This is her making it about herself when all he did was ask a question.
Including throughout the story he was still getting the eraser tattoo. Later on he says, “It hurts, Shay. It hurts. It didn’t at first, but know it does.” this explains that she is clearly hurting him and needs stop. Lovers don’t hurt each other.
In the dialogue there is a lot of repetition, the repetition isn’t just straight on saying it. It’s her repeating similar ideas kinda, like when she says, “Hurt?” - “ah so it does hurt?” this is repetition, another example of this is, “what I want to know is, why you get to give me one but I can’t give you one?” - “What if we break up? Not that we will or that I want that, because. But… what if we do? Then I don’t want this ugly D on my arm.” These are what make up the repetition in this story. These moments are really important because the author is repeating them. They show that this isn’t what Dante thinks it is, Shay doesn’t love him the way he does.
Another example of this is when she says “Am I not worth the pain?” she’s just trying to make him feel bad. And make it about herself. In other words when she says this it’s almost like he has to do it, because if he says, “No, you aren’t worth the pain.” Then she will break up with him, but when he says, “Yes you are worth the pain” then he still gets hurt. So he’s kinda stuck. In this case i’ve noticed that Shay is very controlling in the story.
I like how he wrote this very descriptive and fun to his heart
Delete(Part 2) In fact there is also some figurative language in this story. A piece of figurative language is symbolism the eraser symbolizes that this isn’t love, because throughout this short story there is moments of her saying, “what if we break up, you can only have my initial because I don’t want that ugly letter D.” This emphasizes that the love is one sided and isn’t true. Other figurative language that’s in this book are similes, a simile in this short story is, “like someone was trying to strike a match on his flesh.” this obviously is a simile because why would she be striking a match on his flesh? She wouldn’t. Lastly metaphors, metaphors in this short story are, “Take your mind off of it,” - “my arms on fire,” - “It hurt like H*ll,” and “A dim shooting star in her eyes.” All of these different parts are what make up the figurative language in this short story.
ReplyDeleteThe way Shay is treating Dante is getting worse as the story goes on. Eventually Dante starts to figure out that this isn’t what he thinks it is. Although it could be argued that the theme is keeping your word, the text actually says otherwise, and I quote, “What I want to know is, why you can give me one but I can’t give you one.” Clearly, the theme of “Eraser tattoo“ is love is lost when one sided. This is first seen when the author used plot events. The plot events are when Shay gives Dante his eraser tattoo, the whole time this is happening Dante’s getting hurt more, and more.
The theme was created when the author used Dialogue. The repetition really set the theme when Dante would say that the rubbing hurts and Shay would just brush it off like its no big deal. The author used figurative language to create the theme. Readers see this when Dante talks about how it hurt like H*ll and Shay said, “So it hurts?” As a result, it is evident that the theme of “Eraser tattoo“ is love is lost when one sided.
good way of explaining the figurative language
DeleteYou did horrible
DeleteYou did good at expaining the figurative language
Deletegood text evidence
DeleteI like that you have many descriptive figurative language parts.
Delete“Eraser Tattoo” is a short story by Jason Reynolds that takes place on the day that Shay is moving away from Dante. Shay and Dante have been friends since they were very young. What makes this story interesting is that Dante is trying to get Shay to commit to a long-distance relationship but, Shay, without saying it in words, lets Dante know that she doesn’t want to be together. The author uses this to teach us lessons about love; love is painful when it is one-sided.
ReplyDeleteThe character actions in “Eraser Tattoo” show how Dante wants to be with Shay, but Shay doesn’t want to be with Dante. First of all, on the day that Shay leaves Brooklyn for North Carolina, she and Dante sit on the steps in front of her old apartment. They talk about how sad and excited they are, and they get all their feelings out about each other; and what they think will happen. Dante thinks that everything will be the same and that the two lovers won't drift apart. Dante says “I’m gonna buy you a plane ticket. Shoot, I might just buy you a whole plane. And this house so we can live in it.”. This makes it seem that Dante wants the two to be together forever. Secondly, Dante gets a burning tattoo that will leave a scar on him forever. He will go through the pain and suffering, just to get Shay’s initials on his arm, forever. Clearly Dante is willing to do whatever it takes to make his relationship with Shay last a lifetime.
The character actions that Shaye gives to Dante in “Eraser Tattoo” are way different then Dantes. First, Shay and Dante see different sides of the relationship. Shay will not, no matter what, get an eraser tattoo. She thinks that she is too pretty to get one, and that her dad would kill Dante if he gave her a tattoo. Secondly, Shay brings up the thought of breaking up with Dante, when he is full set on staying together forever. She says, “Let’s be real, what if we break up?” Dante is in awe and can’t believe that Shay would say that. Third, Shay is making fun of Dante for being hurt by the tattoo. This could be interpreted as playful loving chatter and two-sided love. However, it shows that Shay is really making fun of Dante and doesn’t want to be with him.
The figurative language in “Eraser Tattoo” shows how Dante is willing to do anything for Shay. The first piece of figurative language used in “Eraser Tattoo” is imagery. The author Jason Reynolds uses imagery to make us feel the pain that Dante is going through while getting an eraser tattoo. He describes it by saying that it breaks the skin, and Dante says “I can’t think of anything except for the fact that my arm is on fire!”. This makes us feel like his arm is really hot and it burns really bad. Secondly, he uses words like burning to make us really feel the pain. He also uses repetition. Dante says, “It hurts Shay, it hurts!” to explain the pain that Dante is going through to have a memory of Shay forever
Clearly, the theme of “Eraser Tattoo“ is love is painful when it is one-sided. This is first seen when the author used character actions. Dante is all in on Shay and ready to do whatever it takes. Next, the theme was created when the author used character actions again to tell us about how Shay does not want to be in a relationship with Dante anymore. Finally, the author used figurative language to create the theme. Readers saw this when Jason Reynolds painted us a picture of how much pain Dante was in, while getting the tattoo. As a result, it is evident that the theme of “Eraser Tattoo” is love is painful when it is one sided.