POLITICAL CARTOONS NOTE 5 (SECTION 2) Current Events LAH—Period 8

Information Given as an Editorial  Read the Words  Title  Caption  “Balloons”  Labels on Objects  Read the Symbols  Representations  Objects are there for a reason!  Be aware of body language  Reference to some other story or time  Read the Tone  What is the topic?  Cartoonist’s POV?  Point  Of  View

Approach it as a Cartoon Type of HumorToneCluesImpact on Audience ExaggerationNegative Comparative Un-real Proportions Surrealistic Under- standing MockingNegative Shame on You Distortions Naïve Characters “I get it” IronyNegative “Could have been…” Panels Used Shock Disgust

Theme  Analysis of the Cartoon as an Editorial  What is it about? What is the topic?  Who? What? Where? So what?  How are the symbols used?  What is the message (POV) of the artist?

Common Symbolism  Political Parties  Elephant (Republicans)  Donkey (Democrat)  Swastika or Fasces (Nazi or Fascist)  Hammer and Scythe (Communist)  Special Interest Groups  Cross, crescent, stars (Religious)  Hoods (depends on color)  Dress (depends on style)  Currency (class or business)

Vocabulary  POV (Point-of-View)  Opinion on an event or action or person  Bias of the creator of a work  Analysis  To evaluate based on the content and knowledge  Give an explanation of one’s own intrerpretation  Symbolism  Some object that represents a thought or another object  Something that has meaning beyond what it actually is

Procedures to Interpret a Cartoon  Examine the content  What words are used?  What does the word or phrases mean?  What is the cartoon about?  Why does the topic have opinions tied to it?  How does the artist view the topic?  How do you know it is the cartoonist’s opinion?

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Questions/Discussions  Who are the people shown/referred to?  EX 1: identify the three figures  Ex 2: who are the two tourist referring to?  Ex 3: who are the two men?  What is the topic?  Ex 1: Hint: note the Cupid  Ex 2: Hint: what is the building and the smoke about?  Ex 3: Hint: what is a drone?  What is the POV of the cartoonists?  EX 1: How does he see the relationship?  EX 2: What’s meant by “incriminating papers”?  EX 3: How are “US Interests” and the balloon dialogue related to the characters?