COATS Captions (What textual clues are included?) Objects (List everything visible in the picture.) Action (What’s happening in this picture?) Time (When was this created / when is it set?) Summary (What is the message of this cartoon?)

Two COATS It is sometimes helpful to do a first ‘COAT’ looking at LEVEL ONE information—what do you SEE? What does it SAY? What’s HAPPENING in this picture? This first time through, don’t interpret or infer, just cover LEVEL ONE information. On your second COAT, begin exploring LEVEL TWO information—the significance of each element (if any). WHY does it say that? What does this REPRESENT? What is the SUMMARY or MESSAGE of this cartoon? Etc.

Common Elements of Political Cartoons… Assume a familiarity with Current Events Assume the reader recognizes Common Symbols Use Exaggerations & Distortions Use Caricatures & Stereotypes Use Allusions to Literature or History Use Labels / Captions / Text Use Irony / Sarcasm Have a Message or Point the Author is making by using these other tools. It is not generally “fair”.

Exaggerations & Distortions Caricatures / Stereotypes Look For… Current Events Common Symbols Exaggerations & Distortions Caricatures / Stereotypes Allusions to Literature or History Labels / Captions Irony / Sarcasm

Sometimes we can get the general idea even if we don’t have all of the information or background knowledge the creator expects.

Historical Cartoons often present even greater challenges because of changing styles and what contemporaneous readers were expected to know or recognize.

Historical Cartoons often present even greater challenges because of changing styles and what contemporaneous readers were expected to know or recognize. We should start with what we CAN understand or recognize, then build on these with logical inferences. We should NOT just decide it’s “too hard” and give up.