1/2 of Pet Reflection

The naming in this story is interesting and definitely seems intentional (ex: Bitter and Redemption). I find it super interesting that the monster is in Redemption's house. It exemplifies the difficulty of redeeming oneself. Additionally, because it is in his house it adds the layer of someone finding/putting the responsibility of their redemption on someone else. The fact that Jam is constantly seeking knowledge and is encouraged by Redemption aka there is redemption in knowledge. 

It was highlighted that no one gets asked to be labeled a hero. Someone may be doing an act out of kindness, necessity, selfishness etc and gets branded with these high exception that they did not ask for. People believing that a utopia is free of all evil and willing chasing to forget the past, which allows the monsters space to return because you are no longer looking for them. So, you don't notice or ignore the signs of it rising. Monsters existing in places we have not looked and they can only be found once we realize what is missing--what's not there. A monster is identified through actions not appearance. For example, Pet is physically viewed as a horrific monster, but is actually hunting the real monster that has blended into society.

The idea of paintings coming to live for a purpose parallels "Clap Back." There is the implication that the painting has the potential to come alive while it's still wet. From the beginning Pet has tried to come off the page (even while being incomplete), which suggest that it crossing dimensions was unavoidable--the idea that its purpose is necessary and unavoidable.

The concept of the truth: 

In desiring something does not happen because it's horrific, we avoid stopping it. In refusing to see the truth, we are complacent in the horrors we don't want occurring. The truth does not care about completing someone's checklist of "worthy" proof. That being said, is Pet a personification of the truth or just a vessel (solider) for truth-similar to the bottles and cans in "We Travel the Spaceways?"

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