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August 1, 2026Cogent Arts and HumanitiesOpen Access

What would you do: an exploration of values, interpretation, and reflection in The Last of Us

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Authors

AJAdam JerrettMHMatthew HigginsPHPeter Howell

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Overview

Textual analysis examines values and reflection in The Last of Us, suggesting profound implications for player engagement.

Key Points

  • This research aims to analyze how The Last of Us promotes deep interpretation and personal reflection through its design elements.
  • Conducted a textual analysis of The Last of Us using rhetorical criticism.
  • Applied three lenses: values, interpretation, and reflection to understand gameplay elements.
  • Outlined a three-stage approach to facilitate active meaning-making for players.
  • Demonstrated that The Last of Us embodies values through game elements, influencing player experience.
  • Revealed that players construct meaning via narrative in impactful ways.
  • Showed that the game resonates with personal and societal themes, particularly regarding violence and parenthood.

Cite This Study

Jerrett et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a6da778e258b358b3c6c8f4https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2026.2703943
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched one closely related paper. Consider it for comparative context:

  1. 1Values throughout the Game Space2022 · 7 citations