The Literate Learner Reading Visualsscullhistory.weebly.com/.../2/4/3/2/24322233/hbth_political_cartoons.… · In the first cartoon, the coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Bob Gainey,

The Literate Learner

Reading Visuals

FOCUS This section will help you answer: a. What is a political cartoon? b. What techniques does a cartoonist use? c. How can I analyze a political cartoon?

The Literate Learner: Reading Visuals

Political cartoons are visual editorials. The cartoonist is making a state-ment either positively or negatively about an event of political or social im-portance. A political cartoonist uses a number of techniques to get his or her message across to the reader. A political cartoon usually uses humour to make its point. Political cartoons usually appear in the editorial and opinion sections of newspapers and magazines. Political cartoons can be invaluable to the historian to gauge public opinion at the time of an event. This activity will give you the opportunity to hone your skills of analysing a political cartoon. As the old saying goes “a picture is worth a thousand words.” The same can be said for political cartoons.

Writers use a number of techniques to enhance their message. The writer may use an analogy, a metaphor, symbolism or caricature to add meaning to their writing. A political cartoonist is no different. Five common tech-niques are:

What is a political cartoon?

What techniques does a cartoonist use?

1. Exaggeration - overdo the physical characteristics of people/things 2. Symbolism - simple objects to stand for concepts or ideas 3. Labelling - clearly identifying what someone/something represents 4. Analogy - compare two unlike things that share a common aspect 5. Irony - the difference between the ways things are and the

way they should be or the way they are expected to be



Let’s briefly examine each technique. Look at these political cartoons from Tim Dolighan Technique 1: Exaggeration In the first cartoon, the clothes of over the top hockey commentator Don Cherry are caricatured exaggerating his collar and putting stop signs all over his suit jacket to emphasize the message of the cartoon. In the sec-ond cartoon, both the father and the son have on protective head gear. While the son wears a regulation helmet, the father wears an over the top contraption to be used to muzzle the overinvolved parent. Technique 2: Symbols In the first cartoon, the symbol for justice is used to criticized the pardon given to sex offender and former hockey coach Graham James. Justice is seen with broken scales and holding a joker in the other hand. In the sec-ond cartoon, United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is seen treating the beaver or Canada as a master would her pet dog.



Technique 3: Labelling The first cartoon does a takeoff on a parent pushing their infant. In this case the Americans labelled War on Terror are pushing an infant in a baby stroller labelled Terrorists. The American military action is creating a new generation of terrorists. The cartoon also uses a famous quote from Albert Einstein. The second cartoon shows the Liberal Party split in two by a wedge issue, abortion. Abortion is an issue for the Liberals where there is a difference of opinion and the wedge is drawn and labelled to emphasize its importance. Notice how the Liberal caucus is drawn. Technique 4: Analogy In the first cartoon, the coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Bob Gainey, is compared to a person in the French revolution about to be executed or chopped. The cartoon also shows that Gainey is doing this to himself. The second cartoon shows an airplane going into a downward spiral and throw-ing out payload to stay in the air. This is compared to Tiger Woods situa-tion where his image is also in a tailspin and he is losing millions of dollars from advertisers.



Technique 5: Irony The first cartoon shows a member of the Calgary Flames explaining to an-other Canadian why he is getting to the head of the line for an MRI. He does not seem to question why he is getting preferential treatment. The second cartoon pokes fun at the flap caused by the Canadian women’s hockey team when they were photographed smoking cigars and having beers and champagne after winning the gold medal at the 2010 Olympics. The Canadian fans at the bar certainly cannot see what the fuss is about.

When examining and analyzing a political cartoon there are a number of questions that you need to ask yourself. Some of the questions involve objects, some involve techniques and some involve the message. Ask yourself the following:

How Can I Analyze a Political Cartoon?

1. What people are in this political cartoon? 2. What objects are in this political cartoon? 3. What words are in or attached to this political cartoon? 4. What techniques used by this cartoonist to help the message? 5. What is the point of view of this political cartoon? 6. Why is this political cartoon effective? 7. Who would agree or disagree with this political cartoon? 8. How would you rate the effectiveness of this political cartoon?

Teacher’s Turn



What people are in the cartoon?

What objects are in the cartoon?

What words are in the cartoon?

Technique 1 - Identify and Describe


What is the cartoon’s point of view?

Why is the cartoon effective?

Who would agree/disagree with cartoon?

Prime Minister Harper appoints Stockwell Day to tackle Cana-da’s growing deficit











In 2007, the Canadian and Russian junior national hockey teams face off against each other.











Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney has his reputation hurt by being accused of taking a bribe or payoff.



Students’ Turn









In 2007, Stephen Truscott was acquitted of a murder he was convicted of committing in 1959 in Clinton, Ontario.











NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman, took heat in Canada when he let an American televi-sion network have a better playoff schedule than Hockey Night in Canada.











Liberal Party Opposition Leader, Michael Ignatieff, tries to get voters to notice him during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Van-couver.

Documents

The Literate Learner Reading Visualsscullhistory.weebly.com/.../2/4/3/2/24322233/hbth_political_cartoons.… · In the first cartoon, the coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Bob Gainey,