Using Editorial Cartoons Make a Point

Editorial Cartoon: Intolerance Introduction Artists often use an editorial cartoon as a means to show their opinion about something in our society. Just as columnists or op-ed writers use words to express their opinions about a wide array of topics, artists use pictures to make statements. Editorial Cartoon Examine this cartoon on the next slide. Resource: www.tolerance.org

Look at the top of each character Look at the top of each character. What is similar about the design on each character’s head? What is different? What is the angry character “saying” to the crying one? What is the artist’s message? How do you think this artist feels about intolerance? What could this artist be an advocate for? How successful is this cartoon in creating awareness? What would be the next steps to take action on the issue?

Editorial Cartoon: Bullying Objectives: Help students understand how artists use images to represent an idea Editorial Cartoon: Bullying Introduction Recently, cases involving school bullying have made national headlines. To combat the problem, one state created a bill to protect students: The Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Bill. The bill, now a law, requires school administrators and staff to take a closer look at bullying at their school; if an incident of bullying seems to be so severe that it might be a criminal act, they are to report it to law enforcement. Sometimes artists represent an abstract idea, such as a law, by turning it into an animal, a human or some other thing. This representation can help the viewer understand a complex idea more clearly.

Examine this cartoon. What is the relationship between the two students in this cartoon? What abstract thing is represented by the large hand? What statement is the artist trying to make about the Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Bill? What is the artist an advocate for? How successful is this cartoon in creating awareness? Where should it be posted? What would be the next steps in taking action on this issue?

Editorial Cartoon: Equal Opportunity Objectives: Explore how editorial cartoons often use familiar adages or idioms in new ways to make a point about something Sometimes, an artist will use a well-known saying, adage or idiom in an editorial cartoon. An adage is a popular saying that you may have heard before. An idiom is an expression that may seem to not make sense if taken literally. Here are some examples of adages: Look before you leap. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Here are some examples of idioms: What’s up? He calls the shots. At times, an artist will use a famous adage or idiom, but change it just slightly in order to make a point.

Examine this cartoon The cartoon to the left shows six figures. What are the three figures on the bottom doing? What are the three figures on the top doing? The glass ceiling is a term you may have heard before. It refers to the idea that, in the workplace, an invisible barrier prevents women or members of minority groups from advancing in their career because of racism or sexism. They try to climb the ranks, but are stopped by a “glass ceiling,” a cap on their growth that isn’t acknowledged. In this cartoon, the artist chose to change the saying from glass ceiling to class ceiling. Why do you think he did this? What do you think this means?

What can you do with this? With what you have learned from analyzing these cartoons and the issues they address as well as the point they are making, you may want to incorporate editorial cartoons as part of your activism demonstration. More ideas to ponder….