Portrait Of A Dog from FAMILY GUY - Essay Example

Producer, writer, MacFarlane tries to portray and explain through this episode how a dog is segregated from society despite being the closest member of a family; he wants to have a major impact on the audience by letting them know how the most loyal member of their families, who might even be the caretaker, is not taken care of and bossed about, like a slave. Upon reaching the dog show, Brian is forced by Peter to behave like the other dogs in order to win; however when Brian refuses because he feels that his dignity is at stake, Peter orders him and shouts at him.

This makes Brian feel unwanted and oppressed in a way and puts him in a difficult situation. To support his position, MacFarlane has tried to draw an analogy with respect to most people belonging to society and how they are stereotyped. Then, he talks about exclusion from society for a certain section of people, and finally about how even though they are living beings and have equal rights, are not treated equally in accordance to the laws that have been laid down, and do not even have a voice which can be heard because of the deafening noise of society in the environment.

Just because Brian is a dog does not mean that he has to obey his master by sitting when his masters commands him to, or rolling and heeling when his master orders him to. Brian refuses on the grounds of having his own voice and his own wishes and dreams to fulfil; he does not want to be treated like how the other dogs are treated because he has evolved more than them and is capable of much more than just being a pet and guarding the house; Brian is a true depiction of what kind of a friend a dog can be to a man.

Brian however feels unwanted and leaves Peter’s side; Peter’s ego also leaves him to himself, not going to search for the lost dog, despite his wife Lois repeatedly asking him to. In his heart Peter knows that he has made a mistake by stereotyping Brian, however, he does not give in to the fact as soon. MacFarlane wrote this episode in order to impact his audience so that they would understand how people and animals are stereotyped; for example, when the police find Brian without a leash, they immediately turn him in, when Brian drinks from the public fountain in the park, he is frowned down upon by the other people around him and again taken in by the police as a fugitive for a crime that he has not even committed.

All he asks for is to be understood by people properly who do not look at him as a dog, but as a living being with feelings, just the same as other human beings. Furthermore, when he tries to enter a supermarket or a restaurant, he is thrown out just like ‘dogs’ are, just because he is stereotyped to be a dirty and misbehaving animal. Ultimately during the courtroom scene as well, the judges, even though they give Brian a chance to explain his conduct, suddenly change their minds and ask each other “Why are we listening to a dog?

” This comment however hurts the other Griffin family members who by this time have realised the importance of Brian in their family – just because he is a dog does not mean that he needs to be treated like one. If he is willing to expand his intellectual horizons, then he should have the full opportunity to be treated like an equal member of the family. Peter understands that having an equal status and being treated with an equal status of the family are two different things and finally, the Griffins are able to provide the same to Brian.

This is how MacFarlane achieves his