1. Interpreting the Message
How to get the main idea of political cartoons

2. Look at the following: 1. List the objects you see in the cartoon.
2. Look for symbols. What do these symbols mean?
3. Are there any important clues (words, places, things in cartoon)?
4. Look at the 4 quadrants of the cartoon (anything significant)
5. What is the political/social issue in the cartoon?
6. What is the artists viewpoint? How do you know?
7. Who might agree/disagree?

3. Its all About the Irony Dramatic Irony: The words or a character .
In a political cartoon, the cartoonist will often use this method.

4. Lets look at this one
The character makes a statement that Arab nationalism is dangerous.
He hopes that democracy will bring an end to it. “curb it”
Where is the irony?

6. Surrounded by American Nationalism
Political?
Economic?
Geographic?
Religious?
Ethnic?
Cultural?

7. The Main Idea What meaningful inferences can we make?
Arab Nationalism has similarities to American Nationalism
Arab nationalism is probably no more dangerous than American we just don’t understand it
Therefore, democracy is not a guarantee against nationalism.

8. The Main Idea

9. The Main Idea

10. The Main Idea