The Check Mark Tattoo Symbol in Five Survive

What Is the Check Mark Tattoo?

The check mark tattoo is a small, permanent black ink drawing on Arthur Grant-Moore’s hand—a set of scribbled check marks and empty boxes along his knuckles. In the story, this tattoo mirrors the temporary check marks that Red Kenny draws on her own hand to track her to-do list tasks. The tattoo remains hidden from the reader and from Red until the climactic moment when Arthur smashes a walkie-talkie from Red’s hand, and she sees the ink on his skin. The visual of the tattoo instantly recontextualizes everything Red thought she knew about Arthur.

Where Does It Recur?

The check mark symbol appears twice across the novel. The first instance occurs early in Chapter 2, when Arthur uses a felt-tip pen to draw a small check mark in the “Pack” box on Red’s hand as a lighthearted, supportive gesture. That temporary mark is a moment of closeness between them, a small kindness that Red appreciates. The second—and far more significant—instance comes in Chapter 36, when Arthur’s permanent tattoo is revealed. Red had previously seen him fiddling with his pockets and noticed his nervous habits, but the tattoo is a shock. The recurrence of the same symbol—from pen ink to tattoo ink—creates a disturbing parallel: what was once a gesture of empathy becomes a sign of hidden allegiance.

How Its Meaning Changes

The check mark’s meaning evolves in three stages: personal organization, shared trust, and betrayal.

1. Personal Organization – Red writes to-do lists on her hand as a survival habit, a way to impose order on a chaotic home life. Each unchecked box represents something she hasn’t done yet, and each check mark gives her a small sense of accomplishment. The check mark is private, functional, and hopeful.

2. Shared Trust – When Arthur draws a check mark for “Pack” on Red’s hand, he is participating in her private ritual. The act is gentle, almost intimate. For Red, it feels like a “tiny firework bursting in her head”—a rare moment of being seen and understood. At this point, the symbol bonds them.

3. Betrayal – The tattoo twists the meaning completely. Arthur has permanently branded himself with the same check marks that Red uses for her lists. The tattoo suggests he has been imitating her coping mechanism, not as an ally but as a spy. When Red sees the tattoo while Arthur is destroying the walkie-talkie, she realizes he has been working for or alongside the sniper. The symbol that once meant connection now signifies deception and hidden intentions.

The tattoo also echoes the betrayal and trust theme: the very person who helped Red check off a task is the same person hiding a dangerous secret. Arthur’s tattoo proves that intimacy can be a weapon.

Character and Theme Connections

Arthur Grant-Moore

Arthur is introduced as Simon’s friend from basketball, a kind and attentive listener who asks Red about her day and once let her sit in his car after a party. His check mark tattoo is the first concrete evidence that his kindness may have been a performance. The tattoo is a physical marker of his double life—a permanent record of a role he plays. When Red recognizes it, her trust shatters, and the small, positive memories of him (the check mark on her hand, the car conversation) become tainted by doubt.

Red Kenny

For Red, the check mark is also a symbol of grief. She uses lists and check marks to control her anxiety, which stems from her mother’s murder and her father’s drinking. The temporary mark Arthur draws momentarily relieves that anxiety. But when she sees his matching tattoo, the very act of checking off a task becomes associated with surveillance and danger. The symbol thus ties directly to the grief and trauma theme—her coping mechanism has been stolen and weaponized.

Themes

• Betrayal and Trust: The tattoo is a physical betrayal. Arthur’s ink mimics Red’s ink, but his purpose is opposite: hers is to remember, his is to hide. The object that once symbolized a shared moment now symbolizes a lie. This connects to the larger question of who among the group can be trusted.

• Secrets and Lies: The tattoo is a secret Arthur keeps throughout the night. Unlike the temporary marks that everyone can see, the tattoo is hidden under his sleeves or glove until the crucial moment. Its revelation exposes the layers of deceit within the RV.

• Survival vs. Morality: In the desperate struggle to survive the sniper attack, symbols like the check mark become tools of manipulation. Arthur uses Red’s own visual language to gain her trust, showing that survival can override moral boundaries.

• Family Loyalty and Justice: Arthur’s motive (as suggested by his connection to the sniper) may relate to his family’s history, though the full details are not confirmed in the provided evidence. The check mark tattoo could be a reminder of a task he feels obligated to complete—a family debt that puts him in opposition to Red.

Study Questions with Answers

1. Why does Arthur have a check mark tattoo that matches the ones Red draws?
The exact reason is not explicitly stated in the provided text, but the tattoo strongly suggests Arthur has been impersonating Red’s habit to blend in. By permanently marking himself this way, he may be reminding himself of a goal or using her own symbol to gain her trust. The tattoo is a visual clue that Arthur is not who he appears to be.

2. How does the check mark tattoo change Red’s perception of Arthur in Chapter 36?
Red instantly recognizes the tattoo as identical to the check marks she uses on her hand. This recognition forces her to question every kind gesture Arthur made earlier, especially the check mark he drew for “Pack.” The tattoo transforms Arthur from an ally into a suspect and makes Red realize that his earlier actions may have been calculated.

3. In what way does the check mark symbol connect to the theme of grief in the novel?
Red’s to-do lists and check marks are a coping mechanism rooted in her mother’s death. She uses them to manage overwhelming emotions, especially guilt about her mother’s murder. Arthur’s tattoo co-opts that personal tool, suggesting that even her private strategies for handling trauma are not safe from exploitation.

4. Why is the tattoo’s location—on Arthur’s knuckles—significant?
The knuckles are a visible, exposed part of the body, but Arthur keeps the tattoo hidden until the moment he smashes the walkie-talkie. The location implies that the tattoo is a badge he can reveal or conceal at will. It is a deliberate choice to hide part of his identity, mirroring the way he hides his true allegiance. The act of hiding the tattoo in plain sight reflects the secrets and lies that permeate the group.

Conclusion

The check mark tattoo is a deceptively simple symbol that carries enormous weight in Holly Jackson’s Five Survive. What begins as a lighthearted gesture of friendship becomes a chilling marker of betrayal. By attaching the symbol to both Red’s vulnerability and Arthur’s deceit, the novel uses a single image to explore trust, grief, and the masks people wear to survive.