Heinleins Stranger in a Strange Land: What IS the Symbolism of Tattooing and Snakes?
Tangentially: googling for Stranger unearthed this cache of SF PDFs, including Stranger. The tattooed lady is a carnival performer: In place of a tattooed man the show had a tattooed lady who was also a snake charmer and for the blow-off (at another half dollar per mark) she appeared “absolutely nude! .. clothed only in bare living flesh in exotic designs!”-and any mark who could find one square inch below her neckline untattooed would be awarded a twenty dollar bill. Her tattoos reflect her faith: she was serene in her conviction that she was the canvas for religious art greater than any on the walls or ceilings of the Vatican. Jubal (another character) also appears to believe that the full-body tattooing is some sort of mental aberration, as well: He knew enough about the syndrome which can lead to full tattooing to be quite sure that if he did not now remark on them and ask to be allowed to examine them, she would be very hurt even though
