Seikichi In 'The Tattooer'

There is great external and internal characterization that takes place in “The Tattooer.” In my opinion, Seikichi is a flat character and I used some of Jun'ichiro’s descriptions for the external characterization, and Seikichi’s dialog to come to this conclusion. He certainly enjoys the pain people experience when getting the tattoo and it’s something he takes great pleasure in.
First, Jun'ichiro does an excellent job of describing the brother districts of Edo, and how important the beautifully tattooed men are to the Geisha. Although, Seikichi drops in status as a painter, he takes great pleasure in the pain of whoever is getting a tattoo. “Deep in his heart the young tattooer concealed a secret pleasure, and a secret desire. His pleasure lay in the agony men felt as he drove his needles into them, torturing their swollen, blood-red flesh; and the louder they groaned, the keener was Seikichi’s strange delight.” (Jun'ichiro, 1910/2012, p. 80). Jun'ichiro shows us through this external characterization that Seikichi is interested in wealth, power, and the pleasure of sadomasochism.

This is something that he has dreamed of for a long time. In my opinion, he looks for a woman as powerful as him to tattoo his masterpiece. He creates a picture of this Geisha in his mind based on her feet.
“-this, indeed, was a foot to be nourished by men’s blood, a foot to trample on their bodies.” (Jun'ichiro, 1910/2012, p. 81). This internal characterization to me means that he sees her as someone he can tattoo and pour his soul into. He makes sure that he able to accomplish this by drugging her and she sleeps as he tattoos