living-tattoos

The chapter introduces the Illustrated Man, a mysterious figure whose body is covered with living tattoos that predict the future and tell stories. The narrator meets him on a road in Wisconsin and learns that the tattoos move and change at night, revealing vivid, detailed scenes and narratives. The Illustrated Man explains the burden of his condition and the origin of the tattoos from a time-traveling woman, setting the stage for the unfolding tales depicted on his skin.