2016 Example of How to Annotate Modern Pakistan Political Cartoons

How You Should Annotated Your Assigned Political Cartoon The annotations should contain: Specific historical information that the political cartoon is presuming the reader would know to understand the context of the political cartoon. This information comes from the BBC Pakistan Reading and from the PowerPoint Slides. The students should also use the Political Cartoon Strategies Handout to identify and explain which Political Cartoon Strategies were used and how. At the bottom of the oaktag, the students will identify: What the message of the political cartoon is, How they knew, And if the group agrees with the cartoonist or not and explain why.

The political cartoon caption uses irony to express an idea through the contradiction between the literal meaning and the intended meaning. You would think the one that is larger and has the weapon would be the one who is threatening, but it is the activist actions of Malala that is threatening the powerbase of the Taliban by speaking out about schooling for girls worldwide as well as in her country in Pakistan, where girls do not have as many educational opportunities as boys. Malala openly criticized the Taliban actions in Pakistan. When she was eleven years old, the Taliban took over her town of Mingora and for several months, her school was closed. She starting writing a blog under a pseudonym detailing her life under Taliban occupation, their attempts to take control of the Swat Valley, and her views on promoting education for girls in the valley. Pakistan has the second highest number of children out of school with 8.3 million in 2012 and with an overall literacy rate of 46% with only 26% for girls. The Taliban tried to assassinate Malala on her school bus in 2012 when they shot her in the head. The Taliban are Islamic Fundamentalists who want to create an Islamic Theocracy in Pakistan and reestablish theirs in Afghanistan once again. The Taliban originated in Pakistan in 1994, moved to Afghanistan, and after the US invasion of Afghanistan, returned to Pakistan in The Taliban has taken over sections of Pakistan where they have closed down schools. They have carried out terrorist attacks in Pakistan like the shooting at a school where many army officers sent their children. The Taliban recruit young men by offering them access to and membership in social networks, money, power, and respect. Many are young unemployed men who have had no access to education or jobs. They brainwash the men during the interactions. For example, many of the suicide bombers are poor, uneducated students in their early teens

Pakistan Political Cartoon Message The message of the political cartoon is that the non-violent activist actions of a teenager can be more powerful than the militant terrorist groups causing havoc in the world. It also stresses that education can be a more powerful weapon that an actual gun in bringing about change. Because many of the recruits are young, educated, and easily brainwashed, more educational opportunities would cut off this recruitment route. I could tell this was the message by how the cartoonist used irony with the caption. The cartoon was also set up as a multiple choice questions, which is an education reference. The cartoonist also used the color red for threatened and for the A for Taliban. In the hand of the Taliban man, he is holding a gun. While Malala is holding a textbook. And when you look at the faces of the Taliban man and Malala, it is ironic because Malala is calm and not reacting in fear which contrasts with the extreme anger or perhaps fear in the face of the Taliban man.

Pakistan Political Cartoon---Do You Agree? I agree with the cartoonist’s message. In the fight against Apartheid, Nelson Mandela initially used violent acts of sabotage with the MK that put him in jail. It was only when he was in jail and adopted non-violent civil disobedience, he was able to use his position and sacrifice to finally convince the world and the South African government to end Apartheid. And in the fight for independence for India, Gandhi also used non-violent civil disobedience. His famous Salt March and the brutality of the British police force captured by the media illustrated the injustices of British rule and the need for Indian independence. When the Taliban controlled Afghanistan, the closed all schools. They burned or banned most books. Women were forced to live like recluses in their homes. And when the Taliban returned to Pakistan, in the regions they took over, they began to close schools like what happened to Malala’s. Malala’s use of her educated voice for the BBC blog and then as an activist challenged the actions and beliefs of the Taliban. It shows that the pen is mightier than the sword. Knowledge is power.