example cartoon analysis essay

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How to Analyze Political Cartoons

Last Updated: January 16, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 582,390 times.

Political cartoons use imagery and text to comment on a contemporary social issue. They may contain a caricature of a well-known person or an allusion to a contemporary event or trend. [1] X Research source By examining the image and text elements of the cartoon, you can start to understand its deeper message and evaluate its effectiveness.

Examining the Image and Text

Common Symbols in Political Cartoons

Uncle Sam or an eagle for the United States John Bull, Britannia or a lion for the United Kingdom A beaver for Canada A bear for Russia A dragon for China A sun for Japan A kangaroo for Australia A donkey for the US Democratic Party An elephant for the US Republican Party

• Many political cartoonists will include caricatures of well-known politicians, which means they’ll exaggerate their features or bodies for humor, easy identification, or to emphasize a point. For example, an artist might make an overweight politician even larger to emphasize their greed or power.

• For example, if the cartoonist shows wealthy people receiving money while poorer people beg them for change, they’re using irony to show the viewer how wrong they believe the situation to be.

• For example, the stereotype of a fat man in a suit often stands for business interests.
• If you’re analyzing a historical political cartoon, take its time period into account. Was this kind of stereotype the norm for this time? How is the artist challenging or supporting it?

Text in Political Cartoons

Labels might be written on people, objects or places. For example, a person in a suit might be labeled “Congress,” or a briefcase might be labeled with a company’s name.

Text bubbles might come from one or more of the characters to show dialogue. They’re represented by solid circles or boxes around text.

Thought bubbles show what a character is thinking. They usually look like small clouds.

Captions or titles are text outside of the cartoon, either below or above it. They give more information or interpretation to what is happening in the cartoon itself.

• For example, a cartoon about voting might include a voting ballot with political candidates and celebrities, indicating that more people may be interested in voting for celebrities than government officials.
• The effectiveness of allusions often diminishes over time, as people forget about the trends or events.

Analyzing the Issue and Message

• If you need help, google the terms, people, or places that you recognize and see what they’ve been in the news for recently. Do some background research and see if the themes and events seem to connect to what you saw in the cartoon.

• The view might be complex, but do your best to parse it out. For example, an anti-war cartoon might portray the soldiers as heroes, but the government ordering them into battle as selfish or wrong.

• For example, a political cartoon in a more conservative publication will convey a different message, and use different means of conveying it, than one in a liberal publication.

Rhetorical Devices

Pathos: An emotional appeal that tries to engage the reader on an emotional level. For example, the cartoonist might show helpless citizens being tricked by corporations to pique your pity and sense of injustice.

Ethos: An ethical appeal meant to demonstrate the author’s legitimacy as someone who can comment on the issue. This might be shown through the author’s byline, which could say something like, “by Tim Carter, journalist specializing in economics.”

Logos: A rational appeal that uses logical evidence to support an argument, like facts or statistics. For example, a caption or label in the cartoon might cite statistics like the unemployment rate or number of casualties in a war.

• Does it make a sound argument?
• Does it use appropriate and meaningful symbols and words to convey a viewpoint?
• Do the people and objects in the cartoon adequately represent the issue?

Community Q&A

• Keep yourself informed on current events in order to more clearly understand contemporary political cartoons. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 0
• If you are having trouble discerning the meaning of a political cartoon, try talking with friends, classmates, or colleagues. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 3
• Historical context: When?
• Intended audience: For who?
• Point of view: Author's POV.
• Purpose: Why?
• Significance: For what reason?

• Political cartoons are oftentimes meant to be funny and occasionally disregard political correctness. If you are offended by a cartoon, think about the reasons why a cartoonist would use certain politically incorrect symbols to describe an issue. Thanks Helpful 14 Not Helpful 2

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://teachinghistory.org/teaching-materials/teaching-guides/21733
• ↑ https://teachinghistory.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/Cartoon_Analysis_0.pdf
• ↑ https://www.metaphorandart.com/articles/exampleirony.html
• ↑ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/educators/types/lesson3.html
• ↑ https://www.writerswrite.co.za/the-12-common-archetypes/
• ↑ https://www.lsu.edu/hss/english/files/university_writing_files/item35402.pdf
• ↑ https://www.mindtools.com/axggxkv/paraphrasing-and-summarizing
• ↑ http://www.ysmithcpallen.com/sites/default/files/Analyzing-and-Interpreting-Political-Cartoons1.ppt

About This Article

To analyze political cartoons, start by looking at the picture and identifying the main focus of the cartoon, which will normally be exaggerated for comic effect. Then, look for popular symbols, like Uncle Sam, who represents the United States, or famous political figures. Make note of which parts of the symbols are exaggerated, and note any stereotypes that the artists is playing with. Once you’ve identified the main point, look for subtle details that create the rest of the story. For tips on understanding and recognizing persuasive techniques used in illustration, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Analyze an Editorial Cartoon

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"Political cartoons, unlike sundials, do not show the brightest hours. They often show the darkest ones, in the hope of helping us move on to brighter times." —Herb Block

Analyzing a Cartoon

• Look at the cartoon and think about the people, items, actions portrayed, and words within the drawing.
• Who is in the cartoon? Can you identify specific people? How do you know who the people are? If you can't identify specific people by name, who might the people portrayed represent?
• Whose story is being told? How would the cartoon change if it were told from a different point of view?
• Break the cartoon into quadrants. What details do you see in each quadrant?
• Top left:               Top right:             Bottom left:       Bottom right:
• What objects (tools, signs, vehicles, furniture, technology, etc.) are in the cartoon and why are the objects important?
• What can you figure out about the setting (time--year or decade, place), and how do you know? Why is the setting important?
• You learn about characters from what they do and say and how others react to them. What can you learn about the people in the cartoon from these things?
• Are any symbols used in the cartoon? What are they and what do they symbolize?
• Why are the symbols important?
• Are there any metaphors in the cartoon? What are they?
• What information does the caption provide? Does it support the drawing or provide a different perspective?
• What can you infer from this cartoon? List evidence to support your answer.
• What is the viewpoint of the artist? How do you know (list evidence from the cartoon to support your answer)?
• What questions does the cartoon raise in your mind? Where might you find answers to those questions?

Other Sources:

News Literacy Project:  Power in Art: The Watchdog Role of Editorial Cartoonists  (includes video with Lalo Alcaraz)

Video -  How to Make an Editorial Cartoon - The New York Times

Library of Congress: Cartoon Analysis Guide

Opper Project's: Reading an Editorial Cartoon

NIEonline and AAEC : Cartoon Analysis Worksheet

National Archives: Cartoon Analysis Worksheet

Teaching History: The Cartoon Analysis Checklist

ReadWriteThink.org: Editorial Cartoon Analysis

Classroom Law Project: Political Cartoon Analysis Guide and Worksheet

About Herb Block

Our Commitment

The Herb Block Foundation is committed to defending the basic freedoms guaranteed all Americans, combating all forms of discrimination and prejudice and improving the conditions of the poor and underprivileged through the creation or support of charitable and educational programs with the same goals.

The Foundation is also committed to providing educational opportunity to deserving students through post-secondary education scholarships and to promoting editorial cartooning through continued research. All efforts of the Foundation shall be in keeping with the spirit of Herblock, America's great cartoonist in his life long fight against abuses by the powerful.

Political Cartoon Analysis

This essay will provide an analysis of a specific political cartoon, discussing its symbolism, message, and effectiveness. It will explore how the cartoon uses satire and visual elements to comment on political or social issues. The piece will examine the cartoon’s context and its relevance to current events. At PapersOwl too, you can discover numerous free essay illustrations related to Analysis.

How it works

Political cartoons are comical way of making you thoughtful and persuade the issues. To understand a political cartoon you are required to be aware of current political issues. In the cartoon above, Gary Varvel uses elephant and donkey as political characters. Elephant is representing the Republican party and the donkey representing the Democrat party. They are sitting at the table having brunch and discussing the budgets that they have prepared. The message seems very clear, “Established in 1974, the congressional budget process now seems broken.

Partisan conflict and creaky rules have undermined the process, and with-it Congress’s budgetary discipline” (Reynolds). It is a very common issue that political parties repeat over and over for any budget issues, they agree to review ideas but disagree to approve based on their political character.

Table Discussion

The cartoon speaks a thousand words and the creator Gary Varvel as always is very good at portraying it as he has done many times before for the Indianapolis Star (IndyStar). In my opinion, he had done this cartoon very well and convinced a clear message and picture of the issue of political parties. The cartoon seems to say that political parties will take the budget purposals on their plate, but if it is prepared by certain party, they just disapprove for that one single reason. Elephant and donkey have budget purposal on their plates, but then say “Oh, you made this?” in a sarcastic tone and throw it in the trash without even trying. I believe the cartoonist is trying to demonstrate that nothing has changed to budget process and Congress is again is at a deadlock and frequently in recent year we have seen government shutdown because they cannot agree over budget . It seems that there is always conflict on budget-related issues in the House. The situation has been made worse by the guidelines governing how our political leaders can present the budget bills in the House (Reynolds). The parties just want to do what is best for their parties and popularity. The actual question is, are they really trying to pass a budget than can minimize our deficit, and do they really care about it? The cartoon strongly suggests a “no.”

It is general fact that to keep up with nation developments, the budget will keep going higher every year. But since deficit has been such a stress to our economy, it should be considered by any parties. But both parties are adamant and want to increase spending and not caring to decrease spending which doesn’t help reduce the deficit. The Democrats continue to disapprove military spending and ask to decrease it, while the Republicans continue to demand increase in military spending (Democrat vs Republican). This makes working on goals very difficult. This very well characterizes political party; while they might agree on proposals, they often disregard it just because it is from that particular party. This cartoon is portraying unbiased view as it doesn’t favor over the other. It shows equal satire on both political parties. The message is clear, political parties do not work on the promises they made for gaining people’s vote. All we people want is a good economy with balanced budget and decreased deficit. But both parties are quite far on getting that goal met.

With the current political trend, I agree with the cartoon and cartoonist message as he has unbiased portrayal that both political parties are at opposite poles when it comes to preparing a balanced budget or solve deficit problem. If they would work on it and agree we would not have to see the government shutdown in future.

“Democrat vs Republican.” Democrat vs Republican – Difference and Comparison | Diffen,

www.diffen.com/difference/Democrat_vs_Republican.

“IndyStar: Gary Varvel, Editorial Cartoonist, Columnist.” Indianapolis Star, 2018,

www.indystar.com/opinion/varvel/.

Reynolds, Molly E. “This Is Why the Congressional Budget Process Is Broken.” The Washington

Post, WP Company, 26 Oct. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/10/27/this-is-why-the-congressional-budget-process-is-broken/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.906d39156fdc. 

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50 Political Cartoon Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best political cartoon topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on political cartoon, 📌 simple & easy political cartoon essay titles.

• Analyzing the Political Cartoon “School Begins” One of the periods rich in political cartoons, which provide a fruitful source of analysis, is the period of the 1890s in the United States.
• Analyzing the Political Cartoons of Dr. Seuss Seuss took the extreme position of poking fun at their fears, and insecurities.[3] The objective of these cartoons was to make readers face up to their own suspicions of the war effort, forcing them to […]
• Political Cartoon: Yankee Volunteers Marching Into Dixie The interpretation of this painting is associated with the events before the civil war and is based on the fact that the Union forces were regarded as the only hope of the democratic development of […]
• How Children’s Cartoons Are Politicized These studies that have majored on the concern of cartoon and children widely indicate the negative e influences of cartoons on the lives and welfare of the children.
• Satiric Cartoons on American Politics In this cartoon, a stout man in a formal suit is depicted. In this cartoon, there is a snake cut into parts.
• Political Cartoons and the Right to Privacy The combination of image and textual content makes political caricatures an effective means of information: “interplay of language and visual rhetoric is the key to the appeal of the cartoon”.
• Political Cartoon: Trump’s Healthcare Amendments The entry of the new regime with different political views intends to make changes to the established healthcare reforms in an attempt to show its devotion to improving the lives of the citizens and challenging […]
• Political Cartoons in Different Countries The implication of a cartoon that develops in the minds of readers is an amplified attempt to minimize activities that increase the world’s vulnerability to global warming.
• Political Cartoon on Health Care Reform in the United States The cartoonist portrays the factors influencing the pace of the healthcare reform process in the United States. The cartoonist demonstrates the parties involved in the healthcare reform bound to suffer from the pace of […]
• Political Cartoons from the Crash to the Millennium
• The Political Cartoon: How the Author Uses Visual Rhetoric to Portray Discrimination
• Visual Argumentation: Gary McCoy’s Political Cartoon
• Are Political Cartoons a Valuable Historical Source
• An Analysis of McCarthyism in the Political Cartoon and Its Relation to the Crucible
• The Portrayal of Native American Discrimination in the Political Cartoon
• The Use of Symbols, Imagery, and Humor in Kirk Andersons Political Cartoon
• The Irony Behind the Political Cartoon of Henry Payne
• An Analysis of the Political Cartoon About the Presidential Campaign
• What Can Political Cartoons Explain About American Foreign Policy During the Reagan Era
• Political Control Monopolies Held Over Congress in Political Cartoon by Joseph Keppler
• An Analysis of a Political Cartoon About the Scholastic Achievement Test
• Join or Die: The Political Cartoon Published in Philadelphia in 1754
• A Critical Analysis of the Political Cartoon “Love the Police”
• An Analysis of the Political Cartoon on the Transnational Corporation
• The Negative Issues Created by the Political Cartoons
• Analyzing a Political Cartoon About the Scopes of Monkey Trial
• The Significance and Effects of American Political Cartoons
• A Political Cartoon Analysis of the Removal of Elian Gonzalez
• A Comparison of Liberals and Conservatives in the Political Cartoon Thurgood Marshall
• Prevalent Sub-Genre of Media: Political Cartoon
• Political Cartoon: Themes of Personal Responsibility and Social Responsibility
• Editorial or Political Cartoon: Role and Functions
• Analyzing McCarthyism as Depicted in the Political Cartoon
• The Political Cartoon: How the Author Uses Visual Rhetoric
• Finding and Using Primary Sources: Political Cartoons
• The Evolution of Political Cartoons Through a Changing Media Landscape
• The Political Cartoons of the 1800s
• Freedom of Speech in Political Cartoons
• Rhetorical Devices Used in the Political Cartoon
• Satirical Techniques Used in Political Cartoons
• Drugs to Death in a Political Cartoon: An Oversimplification
• Political Cartoon: Obamacare or Republicare
• Political Cartoons During World War One
• The Similarities Between Thomas Nast and Political Cartoons
• Political Cartoon Analysis of the Mayor and the Police Department
• Analysis of Political Cartoons in the Art of Persuasion
• Political Cartoons’ Dynamic Progress of Women’s Rights in Canada
• Rhetoric of a World War II Political Cartoons
• The Significant Influences of Indian Political Cartoons
• Political Science Research Topics
• Public Relations Titles
• Culture Topics
• Newspaper Topics
• Stereotype Topics
• McCarthyism Research Topics
• Freedom of Speech Ideas
• Censorship Essay Ideas
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, October 26). 50 Political Cartoon Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/political-cartoon-essay-topics/

"50 Political Cartoon Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 26 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/political-cartoon-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2023) '50 Political Cartoon Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 26 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. "50 Political Cartoon Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." October 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/political-cartoon-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "50 Political Cartoon Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." October 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/political-cartoon-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "50 Political Cartoon Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." October 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/political-cartoon-essay-topics/.

Analyzing Primary Sources: Reading Cartoons

We often think of cartoons as funny but, in addition to entertaining and amusing us, they can also enlighten, provoke or persuade us. Political or editorial cartoons, in particular, provide subjective viewpoints about current issues and events and the people involved in them. Cartoonists use a variety of techniques—symbolism, exaggeration, irony, analogy and labeling to name a few—to convey their story or perspective through images. Learn more about these techniques by reviewing this Cartoon Analysis Guide .

Next, learn more about the art of cartooning by reading the articles and visiting the online exhibitions linked to below.

• “ The Cartoon ” by Herb Block
• “Afflicting the Comfortable” Cartoonist Paul Conrad Puts Words Behind the Pictures “
• Blog Round-Up: Political Cartoons
• Art in Action
• Cartoon America
• Down to Earth: Herblock and Photographers Observe the Environment
• Enduring Outrage: Editorial Cartoons by HERBLOCK
• Herblock Gallery
• Herblock’s Gift: Selections from the Herb Block Foundation Collection
• Herblock’s History: Political Cartoons from the Crash to the Millennium
• Humor’s Edge: Cartoons by Ann Telnaes
• Bill Mauldin: Beyond Willie and Joe
• Monstrous Craws and Character Flaws
• Oliphant’s Anthem: Pat Oliphant at the Library of Congress

Finally, try your hand at analyzing political cartoons.

• Analyzing Primary Sources: Prompts for Political Cartoons
• Political cartoons: guided primary source analysis activities
• Learning from the Source: Cartoonist Commentary-Vietnam War
• Learning from the Source: Perspectives on U.S. Expansion
• Political Cartoons and Public Debates primary source set & teacher’s guide

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Organizing Your Analysis

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There is no one perfect way to organize a rhetorical analysis essay. In fact, writers should always be a bit leery of plug-in formulas that offer a perfect essay format. Remember, organization itself is not the enemy, only organization without considering the specific demands of your particular writing task. That said, here are some general tips for plotting out the overall form of your essay.

Introduction

Like any rhetorical analysis essay, an essay analyzing a visual document should quickly set the stage for what you’re doing. Try to cover the following concerns in the initial paragraphs:

• Make sure to let the reader know you’re performing a rhetorical analysis. Otherwise, they may expect you to take positions or make an evaluative argument that may not be coming.
• Clearly state what the document under consideration is and possibly give some pertinent background information about its history or development. The intro can be a good place for a quick, narrative summary of the document. The key word here is “quick, for you may be dealing with something large (for example, an entire episode of a cartoon like the Simpsons). Save more in-depth descriptions for your body paragraph analysis.
• If you’re dealing with a smaller document (like a photograph or an advertisement), and copyright allows, the introduction or first page is a good place to integrate it into your page.
• Give a basic run down of the rhetorical situation surrounding the document: the author, the audience, the purpose, the context, etc.

Thesis Statements and Focus

Many authors struggle with thesis statements or controlling ideas in regards to rhetorical analysis essays. There may be a temptation to think that merely announcing the text as a rhetorical analysis is purpose enough. However, especially depending on your essay’s length, your reader may need a more direct and clear statement of your intentions. Below are a few examples.

1. Clearly narrow the focus of what your essay will cover. Ask yourself if one or two design aspects of the document is interesting and complex enough to warrant a full analytical treatment.

The website for Amazon.com provides an excellent example of alignment and proximity to assist its visitors in navigating a potentially large and confusing amount of information.

2. Since visual documents often seek to move people towards a certain action (buying a product, attending an event, expressing a sentiment), an essay may analyze the rhetorical techniques used to accomplish this purpose. The thesis statement should reflect this goal.

The call-out flyer for the Purdue Rowing Team uses a mixture of dynamic imagery and tantalizing promises to create interest in potential, new members.

3. Rhetorical analysis can also easily lead to making original arguments. Performing the analysis may lead you to an argument; or vice versa, you may start with an argument and search for proof that supports it.

A close analysis of the female body images in the July 2007 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine reveals contradictions between the articles’ calls for self-esteem and the advertisements’ unrealistic, beauty demands.

These are merely suggestions. The best measure for what your focus and thesis statement should be the document itself and the demands of your writing situation. Remember that the main thrust of your thesis statement should be on how the document creates meaning and accomplishes its purposes. The OWl has additional information on writing thesis statements.

Analysis Order (Body Paragraphs)

Depending on the genre and size of the document under analysis, there are a number of logical ways to organize your body paragraphs. Below are a few possible options. Which ever you choose, the goal of your body paragraphs is to present parts of the document, give an extended analysis of how that part functions, and suggest how the part ties into a larger point (your thesis statement or goal).

Chronological

This is the most straight-forward approach, but it can also be effective if done for a reason (as opposed to not being able to think of another way). For example, if you are analyzing a photo essay on the web or in a booklet, a chronological treatment allows you to present your insights in the same order that a viewer of the document experiences those images. It is likely that the images have been put in that order and juxtaposed for a reason, so this line of analysis can be easily integrated into the essay.

Be careful using chronological ordering when dealing with a document that contains a narrative (i.e. a television show or music video). Focusing on the chronological could easily lead you to plot summary which is not the point of a rhetorical analysis.

A spatial ordering covers the parts of a document in the order the eye is likely to scan them. This is different than chronological order, for that is dictated by pages or screens where spatial order concerns order amongst a single page or plane. There are no unwavering guidelines for this, but you can use the following general guidelines.

• Left to right and top to down is still the normal reading and scanning pattern for English-speaking countries.
• The eye will naturally look for centers. This may be the technical center of the page or the center of the largest item on the page.
• Lines are often used to provide directions and paths for the eye to follow.
• Research has shown that on web pages, the eye tends to linger in the top left quadrant before moving left to right. Only after spending a considerable amount of time on the top, visible portion of the page will they then scroll down.

Persuasive Appeals

The classic, rhetorical appeals are logos, pathos, and ethos. These concepts roughly correspond to the logic, emotion, and character of the document’s attempt to persuade. You can find more information on these concepts elsewhere on the OWL. Once you understand these devices, you could potentially order your essay by analyzing the document’s use of logos, ethos, and pathos in different sections.

The conclusion of a rhetorical analysis essay may not operate too differently from the conclusion of any other kind of essay. Still, many writers struggle with what a conclusion should or should not do. You can find tips elsewhere on the OWL on writing conclusions. In short, however, you should restate your main ideas and explain why they are important; restate your thesis; and outline further research or work you believe should be completed to further your efforts.

Satirical cartoon analysis Essay examples

Welcome, everyone to my session of the current affairs week conference. Today I will be analyzing an Australian Political cartoon targeting a current issue- Tony Abbott and his Asylum seeker policy I have chosen a relevant cartoon by Cathy Wilcox, published in the Sydney Morning Herald on the 22nd of December 2013. I’ll firstly outline the cartoon’s contextual information, after which I’ll explore the satirical elements used by Wilcox to persuade the readers of her perspective. Finishing with an evaluation of the cartoons effectiveness. Firstly, to the context of this cartoon. The cartoon addresses the desperate and dangerous situation of asylum seekers arriving by boat to Australia . Wilcox tries to convey Abbott’s …show more content…

Secondly, Wilcox uses incongruity through visual elements to further her views. Incongruity is most evident when focusing on the man selling lottery tickets to the refugees, with the prize being accepted into Australia. This lottery concept is bizarrely, yet intentionally associated with the refugees, highlighting how they are manipulated with false promises. The facial expressions and symbols used enhance the cartoon’s incongruity. The ticket seller’s immensely large grin suggests there is more to this lottery offer than meets the eye, alongside his remark “Get your lottery tickets here!” an unusual phrase to hear in refugee areas. The sign written with Australia, $5000…. states the price of a lottery ticket though the ellipses imply that a greater cost is involved. They are gambling with money as well as taking big risks with their lives with no guarantee of safely reaching Australia. The refugees’ anxious expressions show their realization of the dangers but their disparity forces them to take these risks. Finally, to the effectiveness of this cartoon. Overall the cartoon is very effective. It is eye-catching and it’s use of parody and incongruities in conjunction with the visual elements effectively portray the cartoonist’s perspective of Tony Abbott. It successfully reveals Abbott’s genuine double-sided views on overseas refugees and orphans whilst

Analysis Of The Documentary Cronulla Riots

People affected by Cronulla Riots in any manner were ‘out of the frying pan, and were into the fire’, when the documentary displayed Prime Minister John Howard declaring the riots as “un-Australian”. He made us believe that his view was optimistic and disagrees that there is underlying racism in Australia.

Satarie in Knights and Dames by Leahy

Though Political satire is usually used to provide entertainment and humour, it is also used to expose absurdity and hypocrisy among the political world. In order to understand the concept and meaning of a political cartoon, the reader must have an insight of the current political status and issues or it would be difficult to comprehend the cartoon. The cartoon, ‘Knights and Dames’ attempts to express the cartoonists opinion on the current Knights and Dames issue which is the reintroduction of the use of Sir and Madame. Knights and Dames are predominantly used throughout the United Kingdom. Tony Abbott, the man in the cartoon is shown in an unflattering light in order to make fun of him and his choices as prime minister. He is shown holding a flag from the United Kingdom with a book that says ‘Knights and Dames Reaction’. This shows that the cartoonist attempts to express that we are becoming like the UK and somewhat turning into them through Tony Abbotts choices hence why the

Analyzing Tony Abbott's Iconic TV Show 'The Voice'

This cartoon is depicting Australia’s politics denying Australia citizens the right of same sex marriage, using the iconic TV show, The Voice, to convey the message. The audience is first drawn to Tony Abbott who is shown with overlarge ears and stating that he should not be ‘expect[ed]’ to ‘turn’ around for same sex marriage, which represents him not allowing it. The way he is sitting is also showing his stubbornness on the issue. The audience then see the other “judges” who have all said yes to marriage equality. This represents USA, Ireland and New Zealand who all allow same sex marriage. These countries being used may be to make the audience feel as if Australia is falling behind these countries that we are so similar to.

Being A Humorist

They use their artistic skills as an aid to convey messages to people of all ages. Political cartoons appear all over the internet and social media. The cartoonists usually distort several of the characters’ physical features in order to emphasize a belief or criticize an idea in the society. A recent political cartoon depicts Donald Trump with a long nose. The cartoonist tried to influence the viewers into believing that Donald Trump is a liar, and he does not fit to be president. It might seem that the cartoonist drew the cartoon just to make the viewers laugh, but his goal was actually to present the reasons why US citizens should not vote for Trump. This drawing might not immediately cause the viewers to alter their attitude towards Trump, but the drawing will appear in the viewer's’ mind whenever the presidential election is mentioned. Sometimes, the cartoon might even influence the viewer to vote for Clinton instead of Donald Trump. The more entertaining a cartoon appear, the faster the picture will spread throughout social media and the internet. This will allow the cartoonist to spread his ideas to a greater amount of

Representation Of Refugees In Australia

The term ‘illegal immigrants’ is a term used by the media to manipulate public opinion and thereby attempt to change or shape government policy. Asylum seekers are not terrorists wishing to corrupt the Australian way of life, but simply victims of western imperial aggression seeking safety in Australian

C201 Unit 3 Assignment 1

2. The aim of the cartoon is to influence Australian with biased opinions on non-white foreigners. This was partially to help convince those who disagreed with the government to in fact support what would become the 'White Australia Policy' and try to keep the new country European and purely white - free from any coloured spots that they saw the foreigners as.

Be Good Little Migrants By Uyen Loewald's

It is thought by many that part of the Australian identity is being a very tolerant country that accepts and includes all cultures and people from all walks of life; however, after coming across the poems No More Boomerang by Oodgeroo Noonuccal and Be Good, Little Migrants by Uyen Loewald, the experiences felt by two Australians prove that this idea is... questionable.

Hurricane Ima Summary

By using a hurricane to describe the immigration politics hitting the Whitehouse, the author uses both pathos and logos to further his belief that chaos will ensue when the congress must come together to please the president, the supporters of DACA, and the immigrants. However, ethos is where the author lacks rhetorical persuasion as this cartoon is mainly driven by pathos and

A Rhetorical Analysis Of Racism By Scott Sawyer

In his opinion piece, published in the Gladstone Observer on the 25th of January in 2014, Scott Sawyer takes an informal tone as he discusses his thoughts on the racism often shown on Australia Day, which have become more prominent across the modern society. The piece develops from a relaxed and positive tone into a disappointed and more stern tone. The articles title “Ditch the racism and enjoy Australia Day as it should be” clearly proclaims the contention as Sawyer uses persuasive techniques to position the readers to agree with him. He does this by using imagery tied in with metaphors, rhetorical questions, colloquial language as well as emotive appeal throughout the piece.

Ben Roberts Smith's End Australia Day

Roberts-Smith also introduces his article with a short anecdote, serving in the Australian Defence Force, which then makes the reader feel emotional towards the writer making them feel like they know the reader more. Including an anecdote can engage the reader more and conveys Roberts opinion. In contrast, Russell’s tone is mirrored by the small, uninviting headline, “End Australia Day”, making the readers feel unsteady. The technique of personal attack towards those who celebrate Australia Day is used to make the reader feel offended so that they continue to read about the controversial topic in hope to make them adjust their

Wahlquist's Essay: Should Australia Day Be Changed

The subheading ‘Wanting the date changed doesn’t mean you hate Australia. It means you want to be fair and inclusive’ reinforces the headline, so the reader is aware of the issue. Accompanying Wahlquist’s article is an embedded image of two young girls who are smiling, holding Australian flags and have flags painted on their faces which shows their pride for Australia and symbolises appeal to patriotism.The colour red evokes strong emotions associated with love and excitement, blue gives the feeling of security, and white innocence these colours are all shown in the Australian flag which makes the flag a symbol of national pride.The image acts to persuade the reader that the date of Australia day should be changed by making the reader feel un Australian if they

Essay On Mmueller Indictments

Iin the above, political cartoon, the audience is introduced to a wide range of interesting information. There is a lot happening in this cartoon. The two main stories occurring in this cartoon is the Mmueller indictment and the fake news uranium story; both issues have different meanings but the cartoonist has blended the two together in this cartoon brilliantly.

Cartoons 's Influence On Women 's Rights Movement

Cartoons have been a prominent and interesting apparatus for politics throughout the ages. Political movements, parties, and groups using propaganda to further their beliefs dates back to the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Though America faces an austere history, lighthearted propaganda colors its decades and gives them life. Political cartoons are so widely used in America that they have become a significant piece of pop culture. Moreover, because of their ability to capture the reader’s attention, propaganda is exploited throughout politics.The cartoons are wonders of the human imagination; illustrators create comical images and intertwine profound political opinions to influence their viewer’s mind. For example, one movement that abundantly grew from propaganda was the women’s rights movement. The artists of the seemingly despised cause drew controversial cartoons that set a fire in the hearts of women all over the world. Consequently, the same cartoons ignited a passionate war between women who wanted freedom, and those who believed that women could not handle that freedom. Through the use of colorful concepts and daring expressions, political cartoons display the influence of the women’s rights movement throughout history, while the cartoons of Anti-Feminists demonstrates the world’s reaction to the movement.

Persuasive Speech On Refugees

Good morning delegates of the youth parliament and observing members. Today I stand before you to discuss an issue that continues to evoke high emotions and create deep divisions within Australian society. I refer to the matter of refugees and Australia's immigration policy. Not since the second world war has the world faced such an upheaval with so many people displaced. In 2015 there were 65.3 million people forcibly displaced from their homes because of conflict and persecution. Developing countries hold 84% of refugees while wealthier countries like Australia prioritise the need to reduce asylum seekers within their borders. The current policy contravenes the proper treatment of refugees and asylum seekers; because regardless of their mode of entry, once here Australia has a duty to provide protection.

Argumentative Essay On Asylum Seekers

Asylum seekers in Australia always been the focal point of negative political concern for a long time. To stop asylum seekers continue arriving in Australia by boat, Australia enforces the policy of obligatory detention of asylum seekers, unauthorised asylum seekers arriving by boat will be sent to Papua New Guinea camp where operated by the Australian government (‘Asylum seekers: Australia’s shame’ 2017). However, this policy was reported as disgraceful because of the deficient living condition, indefinite and arbitrary of detention and lack of health care (United Nations 2017). Cohen (2011 p. 242) stated that moral panic could be more likely to develop in anything associated with 'immigration, migrants, multicultural absorption, refugees, border controls and asylum seekers’. Is Australia's response to asylum seekers an example of moral panic? By analysing the five criteria from the moral panic theory by looking at the Australian public reaction to asylum seekers with references support, it could be found that the reaction to asylum seekers in Australia is an example of moral panic.

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Cartoon and Ad Analysis, Essay Example

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The cartoon implies that U.S. and other Security Council’s permanent members have adopted a hypocrite attitude towards Iran. Even though all these countries themselves possess atomic weapons, they tell Iran not to build atomic weapons. This is why the cartoon’s caption says that Iran should not do what these countries have done but instead what these countries tell it to do. In other words, there is a double standard in the world and powerful countries sometimes act as bullies. They tell the world how to live but do not set personal examples for others to follow. The cartoonist may also be implying that the contradiction between actions and words of Security Council members has been reducing their influence.

The print ad is by John West of Australia that also produced a famous ad video of wrestling between a bear and a man. This ad demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainable fishing. By showing a bear hugging a man, this ad wants to emphasize the fact that overfishing doesn’t only deplete fish meat supply for humans but also harms the nature by reducing food supply for other species. The ad reminds us that earth’s resources do not only belong to us but to other species as well and by engaging in environmentally-harmful practices, we disturb the balance of the nature. The hug is an expression of gratitude by the bear. The ad is also an attempt by company to improve its corporate social image and strengthen brand’s image. The company also reminds the reader that by buying the company’s products, consumers also encourage environmentally-friendly business practices and do not have to worry about the harm to the nature.

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IB DP Language A Language and Literature – sample text analysis – cartoon

Before you read the “spoiler” bullet points below take a careful look at the text. Imagine it is a text you are using for one of your DP Language A Language and Literature assessments: the individual oral, the HL essay, or Paper 1 and analyze it accordingly. (This text would not be appropriate for Paper 2).

Some elements of the text to consider:

• The fact that this is a cartoon about cartoons – a neutral / informative text about editorial cartoons which are based on opinion
• The use of panels and the blue background in the panels
• The autobiographical elements of this cartoon
• The basic amount of information about editorial cartoons that is presented
• The style and content of the visuals
• The simplicity of the language

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Cartoon Analysis Essays Examples

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Art , Children , Family , World , Human , Space , Astronauts , Artists

Published: 03/31/2020

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It has become part of the modern culture to ask children what they want to be when they grow up. Others say they want to be police officers, doctors, mail carriers, or even bus drivers. Notably, very many kids say that they want to be astronauts when they grow. Many argue that this answer is so common because of the adventure it promises, and the intriguing nature of their work. While most kids end up doing very different things with their lives, others follow the direction of their childhood dreams. The cartoon’s artist explores the children’s common dream of being an astronaut. The only difference is that the snail in the picture ultimately realizes his dream of being an astronaut. In the first picture, the snail has a very innocent face when he thinks about being an astronaut when he grows up. Of course, the writer intends to compare the snail with a human being. The picture that follows shows the traditional space shuttle that astronauts use to get to space. However, it is important to notice that the space shuttle has the flame of a candle where the space shuttles produce flames. The artist makes the space shuttle look like an overturned candle. Idealistically, people would say that the space shuttle illuminates the wonders that lie beyond this world. Pictures and accounts of astronauts give the whole world a picture of what lies in space. They also let us see what our world really looks like in outer space. The fourth picture shows the snail saying how beautiful the world is. Recently, an astronaut from Canada created a rave in the media when he posted pictures from outer space on twitter. Astronaut Chris Hadfield amazed the whole world with his tweets showing pictures of parts of the world from space. Using this specific picture, the artist wanted to remind us how easy it has become to speak to the whole world even if you are a hundred miles away from earth’s surface. The next picture also further attempts to recreate the pictures that Chris Hadfield posted of the black sea, Syria, and Florida. All this pictures were very interesting as they gave the whole world an interesting perspective of how special the world looks with other places like Australia having very funny shapes among other things. The sixth picture shows the snail saying that his small snail trail is one big leap for the snail kind. From the first time that a man visited outer space, outer space activities have tremendously increased. Activities in outer space have also helped human kind improve on the technology in ways that were not imaginable. The artist is also making this idea felt. It shows that one little step has changed the whole world, as we know it. The next picture shows the snail astronaut erecting his flag wherever he landed. This can be compared to Neil Armstrong’s first time on the moon. This event was broadcasted in all television stations across the world. On the next picture, the artist shows that there might be another snail already in space welcoming the snail astronaut. The artist makes the snail astronaut look like he is amazed. This might be because he was not expecting anything else on the place that he landed. The final picture reveals the identity of the creature that welcomed the snail astronaut from snail land. This strange snail, however, does not resemble the snail astronaut. He walks while the other snail crawls. Finally, the artist reveals the point of his cartoon. As there have been rumors about sign of life in other planet apart from ours, the artist makes a point to show that he believes that the rumors might actually be true. However, while the aliens in space might not have any problem with the visitors from earth, human beings do not really appreciate anything that does not resemble a normal human being. As a result, he believes that the government is not being very forthcoming with exactly what lies out there in the moon as well as other planets that man has been able to visit. He shows that he believes that there are other creatures in space but the government will never let us know.

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Cartoon analysis example

Du suchst ein anschauliches Beispiel für eine Cartoon analysis ? Dann schau dir hier unser vollständiges Cartoon analysis example an!

Eine Schritt für Schritt Beschreibung zu einem  Cartoon analysis example findest du auch ganz bequem in unserem   Video !

Cartoon Analyse in Englisch – Musterlösung

Cartoon analysis example – einleitung, cartoon analysis example – beschreibung, cartoon analysis example – analyse, cartoon analysis example – bewertung.

In einer Cartoon analysis  sollst du einen Cartoon beschreiben , analysieren und bewerten . In dieser Anleitung zeigen wir dir ganz genau und mithilfe von Beispielen, wie du dabei vorgehst und was du beachten musst.

Diesen Beispiel-Cartoon sehen wir uns dafür im Folgenden genauer an: 

Der erste Schritt zu einer gelungenen  Cartoon analysis ist der richtige  Einleitungssatz. Darin gibst du an, auf welchen Cartoon du dich in deiner Analyse beziehst. Du nennst dafür den Titel des Cartoons, den Zeichner , das Datum und den Ort der Veröffentlichung und erklärst,  was er im Großen und Ganzen zeigt. 

Die Musterlösung dazu sieht so aus: 

The cartoon “[ title ]” by [ cartoonist ] was published in/on [ newspaper/website ] on [ date ] and shows [ main content ]. 

Und so könnte der Einleitungssatz zu unserem Cartoon analysis example lauten: The cartoon “ Trapped in an online world ” by Christina Bernazzani , which was published in The Daily London Herald on 10 April 2018 , shows a man sitting in a golden bird cage .  

Im nächsten Schritt beschäftigst du dich mit der ausführlichen description , also der Beschreibung des Cartoons. Dabei beschreibst du, wo sich Personen oder Objekte im Cartoon befinden, was der Cartoon im Allgemeinen darstellt und was er im Detail zeigt. 

Wie du dabei vorgehst und welche Fragen du dafür beantwortest, zeigen wir dir an unserem Cartoon analysis example : 

What/Who do you see? – Was/Wen siehst du?

• a big golden bird cage (Vogelkäfig)
• a man with a computer 
• the door of the cage is open
• a caption: “Trapped (gefangen) in an Online World”

What actions are shown? – Welche Handlungen werden gezeigt?

• the man is sitting on a swing (Schaukel)
• his feet are dangling (baumeln) in the air
• he is holding a computer and looking at it
• he does not notice that the door is open

Benutze beim Beantworten  Formulierungen , die deutlich machen, wo etwas passiert . Zum Beispiel: in the foreground/background , n ext to , oder at the top/bottom . Falls du bei der description noch nicht fit bist, dann hilft dir unser Video zur Bildbeschreibung in Englisch ganz bestimmt weiter!

Wenn alle Fragen beantwortet sind, könnte das ausformulierte Ergebnis so aussehen: 

Cartoon beschreiben – Musterbeispiel:  The cartoon focuses on a man sitting in the middle of a large, golden bird cage. He is sitting on a swing that is attached to (festgemacht an) the top of the cage. His feet are dangling (baumeln)   in the air.  On the left  you can see that the door of the cage is wide open. But the man does not seem to notice that. He is holding a computer and is staring at it.

Wenn du mit der Beschreibung fertig bist, wendest du dich der Cartoon Analyse zu. Hier interpretierst du das, was du im vorherigen Schritt beschrieben hast. In unserem Cartoon analysis example  siehst du, welche Fragen du dabei beantwortest:   

What stylistic devices are used and what meaning do they have? – Welche Stilmittel werden verwendet und welche Bedeutung haben sie?

• size/exaggeration : the cage is so big that it makes the man look small 
• comparison : bird compared to man 
• symbol : the cage = a symbol for people’s internet addiction

What does the artist criticize and how does he do so? – Was kritisiert der Künstler und wie tut er das?

• becoming inattentive (unaufmerksam) to the real world
• with the caption he uses: spending too much time online 

Ausformuliert kann das dann so aussehen:

Cartoon analysieren – Musterbeispiel:   The cage is so big that it makes the man look the size of a little bird. This exaggeration implies a comparison between the man and a bird that is kept as a pet. Both are trapped in a cage. But the door of this cage is wide open. The man could escape and be free, but he is too focused on his computer to notice. Thus, the cage seems to be a symbol for his addiction to the internet that he also cannot escape. The cartoonist thereby criticises that people spend so much time online that they forget to live in the real world and are trapped in an online world.

Möchtest du dir noch ein weiteres Analysebeispiel anschauen? Dann findest du hier  eine komplett ausformulierte Cartoon analysis zum American Dream .

Nach der Analyse folgt nur noch deine Bewertung des Cartoons. Dafür bewertest du, ob die verwendeten Stilmittel überzeugend sind und welchen Gesamteffekt die Karikatur hat. Du beschäftigst dich mit folgenden Fragen: 

• Is the cartoon convincing ? Why (not)? – Ist der Cartoon überzeugend? Warum (nicht)?
• What  effect does it have on the viewer?  – Welchen Effekt hat er auf den Betrachter?

An unserem Cartoon analysis example zeigen wir dir, wie du diese Fragen beantworten kannst: 

Cartoon bewerten – Musterbeispiel: The cartoon is convincing because it uses several stylistic devices that emphasize (betonen) its critical message. The message itself is very convincing because it addresses everyone on a personal level. The cartoon therefore has a great effect on people as it makes them question the amount of time they invest (investieren) in an online world that does not really exist. 

Du weißt noch nicht, wie du deine Sätze sinnvoll miteinander verbindest? Dann schau dir jetzt unser Video zu den linking words an und schreibe wie ein Profi!

Bildquelle: nuvolanevicata / Shutterstock.com

Beliebte Inhalte aus dem Bereich Textarten Englisch

• Speech analysis Dauer: 04:29
• Englisch Brief schreiben Dauer: 04:08
• Letter to the editor Dauer: 03:53

Weitere Inhalte: Textarten Englisch

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Cartoon Analysis: structure, tense & examples

cartoons you have probably come across them in a newspaper or magazine. That they appear in so many different mediums not only indicates how popular they are, but is also an indication of their importance social function . Here you can find out what this is and how you can work it out in a cartoon analysis.

Before you familiarize yourself with the individual requirements of a cartoon analysis, it is good to know what exactly a cartoon is:

A cartoon («caricature») is one drawing whose aim is societal, political or social conditions on humorous way too Leave a Comment or to criticize .

As you can see from the definition, a cartoon fulfills a certain function, namely criticism exercise and thus stimulate readers to think. Working out this point of criticism is the main task of cartoon analysis.

Did you know that cartoons have been used to critique social events for centuries? The first cartoon appeared on June 9, 1754 in the Pennsylvania Gazette, published by American writer and politician Benjamin Franklin. The cartoon showed a snake dissected into several pieces. Each piece had the name of an American colony on it and the caption «Join, or Die». The cartoon was thus an allusion to uniting the individual colonies.

Writing cartoon analysis tense

Before you get more involved with the structure of a cartoon analysis, you should be clear about the tenses used. The forms you use when writing a cartoon analysis aren’t always the same throughout. Basically, however, you can remember that you actions which take place in the cartoon, write in the present progressive, which could look something like this:

The man on the left is holding a sign in his hands while standing on a crowded platform at a train station.

As you can see, the actions depicted in the cartoon are written in the present progressive. However, if you describe what exactly is where in the cartoon, you use the simple present, i.e. the simple present tense.

Are you not sure anymore how the «present progressive» is formed or when the «simple present» is used? Then click into the explanations of the same name.

Now that you are familiar with the tenses used, you can delve deeper into building a cartoon analysis. This usually consists of four different parts: one introduction ( introduction ) one description ( description ) one analysis ( analysis ) and a final one valuation ( evaluation ).

Cartoon Analysis – Introduction

Like most English texts you will work on in class, a cartoon analysis begins with a introduction so one introduction . In this part you will answer the following questions:

• Who drew the cartoon? ( cartoonist )
• What’s the title ( title ) of the cartoon?
• In which medium ( publication ) was it published? (e.g. in a newspaper or magazine)
• What is the date ( dates ) of publication?
• About what content ( contents ) or about which topic ( topic ) fine?

Formulation aids and example for an introduction

At the beginning of your analysis, you can summarize the above information in a sentence that can follow this pattern:

The cartoon «» by , published on in , illustrates .

If you add the brackets, your introductory sentence could look like this:

The cartoon «Party Animals 2020» by Dave Granlund, published on December 31, 2020 on the website «Political Cartoons», illustrates the current state of American politics.

Once your readers have informed you about the most important aspects of the cartoon, you can move on to the next part of your analysis.

Cartoon Analysis – description

In the second part of the cartoon analysis, you now describe for your readers what exactly can be seen in the cartoon. In doing so, you are referring more precisely to those shown persons and the situation in which they are located or which actions that they run.

You do best with the description systematic before. It makes sense to describe the cartoon from right to left or from top to bottom, for example. In addition, at this point in your cartoon analysis, you also address whether the cartoon text includes and if so, how exactly it is.

If your cartoon includes text, be sure to check its exact shape enter. There are three different types here:

• speech bubbles ( speech bubbles ) clarify what a particular person is saying
• inscriptions ( inscription/label ) often stand on things to characterize them
• Captions ( captions ) often describe the depicted situation

Note that in this part you really only describe , which can be seen in the cartoon. For example, if there are two people in the caricature who are portraying politicians, you really only describe the people themselves. So you would write There are two women. On the other hand, you would only interpret the fact that these are two female politicians in the analysis.

Formulation aids and example for the description

To describe the cartoon as precisely as possible, you can use the following formulations:

• There is a caption underneath/above the cartoon which says «…»
• The text in the speech bubble is spoken by…
• There is a speech bubble which says «…»
• In the foreground/background of the cartoon, there is…
• On the right/left side, we can see…
• In the upper/lower right/left-hand corner, there is…
• In the middle/at the center of the cartoon, there is…

Specifically, it could look like this:

On the left side of the cartoon, we can see a donkey in a suit. There is a speech bubble above it saying «We aren’t the party animals we used to be…». In the center of the cartoon, between the donkey and the elephant, there is a bottle labeled «2020 politics». Next to it, on the right-hand side, there is an elephant, also dressed in a suit. There is a speech bubble indicating that the elephant says, «For once we agree on something!».

As you can see here, the cartoon in the example systematic described from left to right ( on the left side , in the center , on the right-hand side ). This makes it easier for your readers to understand the description. Also remember that everyone lyrics from the speech bubbles or headings in quotation marks have to stand.

Cartoon Analysis – structure

Now that you’ve familiarized your readers with exactly what’s in the cartoon, you’ll begin analysis . Here you focus on working out which ones expression who wanted to meet the artist with the comic. So it’s about the societal, social or political message that the caricature is intended to convey.

In order to work out the main statement or the criticism of the cartoon, you can use the following key questions as a guide:

• Which person is shown? Is it a well-known personality or not?
• How is the person portrayed?
• What is criticized?
• How is the criticism made clear?

To answer these questions, you should also refer to the stylistic device ( stylisitc devices ) used in the cartoon. An overview that lists the most common stylistic devices and their meaning can help you:

Sytlistic Device meaning allegory (allegories)

• abstract concept is replaced by a tangible image (e.g. state as a ship)

labeling ( labeling )

• People or objects are given a label or a characteristic designation to clarify their properties

Size ( size)

• large person: seems powerful and scary
• small person: seems powerless and intimidated

lightness and darkness ( lightness and darkness )

• bright display: seems carefree, hopeful and positive
• dark representation: indicate fear, uncertainty and catastrophe

hyperbole/exaggeration ( hyperbole/exaggeration )

• individual/characteristic features of a person/object are exaggerated (e.g. « He is older than the hills . « )

metaphor ( metaphor )

• Comparison to a person/an issue is illustrated graphically
• Characteristics that animals are said to have (e.g. donkey = stupid) are transferred to humans
• Idioms can be represented graphically (e.g. person with a board in front of their head)

stereotyping ( stereotyping )

• simplified representation of a person based on prejudice

symbol ( symbol )

• clarify the presentation of complex ideas/concepts (e.g. dove of liberty as a symbol for peace)

If you would like to get an overview of the stylistic means, then the explanation «English stylistic means» will help you.

Formulation aids and example for the analysis

• The … symbolizes/is a symbol for…
• The … is a metaphor and represents/stands for/illustrates…
• The labels are meant to represent….
• The depiction of … is a hyperbole/exaggeration which illustrates…

In relation to an example, this could look like this in your analysis:

The donkey and the elephant are symbols for the two main political parties in the USA. The donkey represents the Democratic Party, whereas the elephant stands for the Republican Party. This is also illustrated by the labels «DEMS» and «GOP» attached respectively to their suits. The bottle of alcohol between them is a metaphor representing the challenging political landscape the parties had to face during the year 2020. With the COVID- pandemic and the presidential elections, 2020 was a year of upheaval; the author thus suggests that alcohol is needed to cope with everything that has happened.

In this example, the assumption that the two animals represent the political parties is underlined by the respective labels. In addition, it is not enough just to name stylistic means; You also need to explain exactly what they mean: Here, the metaphor of the alcohol bottle is first mentioned and then what it stands for is explained.

Cartoon Analysis – Rating

In the fourth and last part of your cartoon analysis evaluate you the cartoon At this point, you are specifically addressing whether you see the cartoon and the criticism it conveys as convincing watch (or not) and why.

You also evaluate whether the stylistic devices used are appropriate and underline the criticism appropriately. So overall, you rate how effectively the cartoon is like its message really makes readers think.

Formulation aids and example for the evaluation

To reflect your assessment of the cartoon and make it clear whether you like the message of the cartoonist convinced you, these formulations will help you:

• In my opinion, the cartoon is convincing/effective because…
• Personally, I do not think that the cartoonist is convincing because…
• Due to…, I doubt whether readers will understand the cartoonist’s message.
• As far as I am concerned, the cartoon sends a strong message because…

Here, too, you can use an example to illustrate how the evaluation of the…