Parker's Back

“In addition to her other bad qualities, she was forever sniffing up sin. She did not smoke, dip, drink whiskey, use bad language or paint her face, and God knew some paint would have improved it, Parker thought.”

The characterization of Sarah Ruth relies heavily on her observing certain religious rules that she may have learned from her father who is a preacher. Her legalistic observation of the commandments and deep desire to root out any ungodly or immoral behavior shows that her primary concern is rule-following.

“Parker’s vision was so blurred that for an instant he thought he had been attacked by some creature from above, a giant hawk-eyed angel wielding a hoary weapon.”

When Parker first meets Sarah Ruth, he sees a frightening vision of an angel instead of a woman. This is an allusion to the divine at work in Parker’s life. Even though he is not physically attracted to Sarah Ruth and does not understand why he kept returning to her, his initial vision of her as an angel reveals that she is a tool of the divine, leading him toward the transformation of his soul.

“The man, who was small and sturdy, moved about on the platform, flexing his muscles so that the arabesque of men and beasts and flowers on his skin appeared to have a subtle motion of its own. Parker was filled with emotion, lifted up as some people are when the flag passes.”

Parker is compelled by the tattooed man and experiences an awakening of emotion that was unknown beforehand. This stirring of emotion is his first connection to a spiritual realm, though he initially mistakes it for a desire to physically imitate the tattooed man. The comparison of the emotion to patriotism implies that an idealistic, spiritual side has been awakened.