Significance of Affenlight's Tattoo

Affenlight sports a secret tattoo, which symbolizes his love of Melville's whaling novels: the tattoo itself is simply the image of a sperm whale rising from the water. Yet this tattoo is not unique to him, since Pella obtained an identical tattoo during her teenage years. Initially, Pella's action seems to undermine something precious and unique to Affenlight: "His tattoo, then thirty years old, now close to forty, had always been a secret, sacred, sentimental part of him" (93). Yet the identical tattoo, by the end of the novel, could be better taken as a symbol of the difficult yet enduring bond between the strong-willed Affenlight and his equally strong-willed daughter. Though often in conflict, they have kindred personalities.