The page that really struck me in WE3 was page 27. I think this page struck a chord with me because of just watching Blade Runner and the question that arises from that of what it means to be human. I believe that one of the reasons people tend to view animals as unintelligent is because humans think that animals do not have a language. Since we can not communicate with them, they automatically become viewed as a lower life form. Having the animals speak to an extent, adds humanity to them and when you read on, at least for me, you begin to see the animals as more than just a dog, a cat, and a rabbit. It became easier for me to see relatable characters in those battle suits instead of animals. I was now dealing with a being with a capacity for speech and from the speech the ability of that being to express feelings and thoughts. I think if the animals would have been silent characters, the work would not have been as effective. For me, it would have been harder to not view the characters as animals if they just acted like animals in bad ass suits.
The other part of the page that struck me was panel 2 when 1 asks “?R. U. 2″. It is not the question that struck me but the way that 1 is drawn in that panel. The look of inquisitiveness and having his head turned to the side were very powerful for me. He asks a question that a person would ask as well as tilting his head in a way people do sometimes. Along with the capacity for speech, the curious nature of 1′s demeanor makes him more human like. I have had people give me that same look a lot of times in my life, usually with more of what the hell are you talking about look but still a look of inquisitiveness. The page helps set up the rest of the story for me because both the capacity for speech and the human reactions of the 1 told me I was going to be dealing with animals that have the capacity for abstract thought. The animals were going to be much more than beings mostly running on instinct. They were now going to have to ability to rationally think and plan as well as communicate not only with other people but to each other as well. It took the characters beyond the realm of animals and into a realm where these were now human beings. They were going to think rationally like human beings and not just run off their instincts. This page for me really helped to set up the rest of the novel and helped me to see these characters as more than just animals.