2. 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?)

5. 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.

7. 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”.

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

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

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

16. 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.