Political Cartoon Framework for Analysis
People and situation: What kinds of people are in the image? What are they doing, literally? |
There are no people, but elephants in the place of republican politicians. They are firing cannon balls out of a tank while yelling and holding a flag calling to “cut food stamps.” The poor tower is already on the brink of collapsing. |
Objects: What physical items are included in the image? How could they be symbolic? |
The tank, which could be symbolic of the destabilization (through predatory legislation) of the poor tower, or community, which are already at a much greater disadvantage than the rich community. The large, unstable bridge represents the path that the poor people must take in order to be rich, which is much larger representing the large gap between the two classes, and the difficulty of said path. The gates on the way up the rich tower symbolize the exclusivity. |
Metaphor and/or analogy: how could the combination of people, situation, and objects serve as a metaphor or analogy? |
The cannon shooting symbolizes the destabilization of the poor community,it can also be seen that the elephants who represent the “house republicans” are shooting cannons at the poor community. The elephants are holding up a sign that says “cut food stamps” showing the lack of empathy from the legislative system towards the poor community.
|
Humour techniques: irony, parody, satire, hyperbole, cariacture, understatement, pun, black humour, juxtaposition, allusion? |
The significant income gap is depicted by the thin and unstable bridge between the rich and poor, the rich remains safe and untouched while the poor is under attack. This highlights the unfairness of the situation, where those who are already privileged are further protected while those who are struggling face adversity. The artist employs satire to criticize the actions of the house republicans, portraying them as attacker of the poor while leaving the rich unharmed. |
Artist's technique: To what degree is the artist's style abstract or realistic? Is there use of caricatures, exaggerated features, or icons? |
The artist's style in this cartoon can be described as a blend of realism and caricature. The overall scene and elements such as the buildings, bridge, tank, and explosion are drawn with a realistic approach in terms of detail and perspective. However, the characters, particularly the elephants representing the House Republicans, are depicted with exaggerated features typical of caricature. The rich reside in a grand, towering castle, while the poor live in a precarious, ramshackle house. This use of exaggeration underscores the cartoon's message about the vast income disparity and the perceived actions of the House Republicans. |
Caption: What devices are present in the cartoon’s caption? Unique choices in diction, syntax, tone, and mood? Other linguistic devices? |
The tone of the cartoon is likely satirical and critical, given its focus on income inequality and political dynamics. The word choice such as “rich” and “poor” establish the theme of wealth disparity, while the phrase "largest income gap in a century" underscores the severity of the issue. By highlighting the contrast between the privileged and the marginalized, the cartoon may evoke feelings of empathy for the disadvantaged and frustration towards the systems that perpetuate inequality. |
Debatable issue: What is the contentious or controversial issue that the cartoon comments on? |
The cartoon comments on the contentious issue of income inequality and the response of House Republicans to this problem. It criticizes the Republicans for cutting food stamps, a measure that impacts the poor while seemingly ignoring the needs of the disadvantaged. The depiction of a tank attacking the poor's precarious position underscores the argument that these policies further widen the gap between the rich and the poor.
|
Larger implications: What is the artist’s perspective on the issue? What comment does the cartoonist seem to be making about the society in which the cartoon was created? |
The artist believes that politicians are targeting the poor and protecting ht erich. He sends the message the rich are ignorant of the challenges faced by the poor, since not only are they not being attacked, rather getting protected by the legislativeice system. He critisizes societal perspectives that the poor are the problem, that being the poor are the reason for the economic disparity. Using the point of view, the author presents the viewers as bystanders, which are condoning the destructive actions.
|
Comments