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Lesa Lan Anh Tran

Dr. Linda Haas
Writing 37
30 January 2015
Values Are the Reason For Everything
Gazing at deteriorating city, with its ravaged and obsolete building, it lifeless and barren
streets, and its dark and gloomy clouds, the citizens minds is infiltrated with harsh realities and
highly instilled values of this society. In amidst of his nonchalant stroll around the dispiriting
city, the citizen subconsciously detaches his individuality. Looking to his left, he approaches the
seemingly placid poster, plastered on the window of store with unfilled shelves, with a message
so compelling that it shook all sense of differentiable and deviating characteristics out of him. At
the corner of his eye, a thin figure emerged, in a dull and battered suit, with eyes full of
despondency staring straight at him. The man that he recognized was himself. The influence of
the bleak environment has taken a dramatic toll on not only his physical appearance but also his
mentality as he is now a man without a soul or mind. This man has been greatly influences by
environment and the culture around him. By analyzing the cultural context of this man, readers
understand the reasons behind his actions and feelings. Similarly, readers could apply the
analysis of cultural context to other examples such as the influential comic, We3. We3, in short, is
about how three house pets are turns into weapons for military use. However, these animals
escape and show their inner animal instincts. Doing so, authors Morrison and Quitely enables the
work of literature to become influential because readers, with similar values, are able to
sympathize for the animals.

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Morrison and Quitely evoke a sense of affection towards the animals through various
aspects of the comics. For instance, each of the covers of the comic, displaying a lost dog, cat
and rabbit, represents one of the three main characters of the comic. In fact, dogs and cats are the
prominently found pets in households. By having these cover pages as lost signs, readers are
already sympathetic towards the comic. This is especially relatable to Americans because in
accordance to the Human Society, 178.9 million people are pet owners. Readers, especially
Americans, can hypothesize the agony of losing a pet, especially one that they have grown fond
of. Morrison and Quitely, furthermore, evokes a sense of sympathy towards the animals when
readers are introduced to the scientific experiments that are imposed onto each of these animals.
As previously stated, the common house pets have now been turned into a weapon that could
potentially replace humans in the battle field. Through this, readers pity the pain and torture these
animals would have to go through because humans hurt, abuse, and torture these animals
because [they] can get away with it (Brady). In modern day culture, readers are well aware of
the animal abuse that occurs during scientific experiments. Due to the frequent occurrence of
animal abuse during scientific research, readers understand that theyve suffered and want to
see them escape and survive (Antennae). The values of animals increases the ability of this
work to be powerful in showing the purpose of the comic.
Another point during the comic where cultural context could be analyzed is when the
animals escape and was attempting to survive by themselves. During the attempt, the animals
encountered a hunter, who threatened to kill them with his gun. When threaten, 1, the leader of
the group of animals, kills the hunter in cold blood. Despite killing the hunter, 1 provokes a
crisis of conscience[making] him a bad dog (Singer 219). 1 is aware of his actions and
regrets them when he labels himself as a bad dog. Readers can be sympathetic to this because his

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actions are similar to peoples actions in general. When threatened, it is common to stand up for
oneself, especially in a case of self-defense. Also, readers can sympathize and justify 1s actions
because 1 recognized the mistake that he has done. Readers, similarly, can relate because people
make mistakes. Mistakes are essentially what make a person human. Thus, readers are able to
further understand the comic through the actions of the animals.
Through the analysis of the cultural context of We3, the work of literature became more
influential and powerful. The readers have sympathy towards the animals because of how
commonly found animals are in households. The increasingly large amount of animals in
household has made pets widely accepted and valued as important, if not equal beings to
humans. When these animals are subjected to anything less than the norms of the current society,
the feelings of readers are evoked. Thus, We3 becomes a work of literature that influential and
powerful.