INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

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INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

• Otherwise known as
• Learning how to be funny

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A political cartoon is a cartoon that has a
message. The artist is usually illustrating his
or her opinion about a current event.
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The artist also wants you to think about your
opinion on issues.
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In order to understand a political cartoon, you
have to have background knowledge about the
subject matter.
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Political cartoons do not have to be funny. But
they usually involve elements of humor.
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INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

• SATIRE - uses humor to lower something or someone
  in the readers or viewers estimation. It is not
  mean-spirited and its point is not to harm. It
  exposes human folly to make room for improvement.
  

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INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

• CARICATURE - exaggerates one or more features of
  a person or thing. It attempts to say something
  about the person/things character, beliefs,
  actions or significance.

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Obamas Poll Numbers
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INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

• SYMBOL- represents something else. It is a often
  a material object that represents something
  abstract or invisible (for example, the Statue of
  Liberty to represent freedom).

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INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

• METAPHOR- uses an object to note a similarity to
  something else. For example, using a tiger to
  represent one nation invading another.

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INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

• IRONY- expresses an idea through a contradiction
  between somethings literal meaning and the
  intended meaning. For example, picturing a U.S.
  president with a crown on his head.

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INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

• SARCASM- is a form of irony. The element that
  turns irony into sarcasm is the appearance of
  mockery, or bitterness.

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INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS

• STEREOTYPES- works by taking a real or imagined
  trait of an individual to be true of the group to
  which the individual belongs. They express bias
  and can be unfair and harmful.

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What is the purpose of a political cartoon?

• To expose one of two gaps
• 1. The gap between appearance and reality.
• 2. The gap between what is and what should be or
  could be.
• They attempt to expose hypocrisy, point out
  pretentiousness, laugh at arrogance, deflate the
  powerful, and give voice to the underdog.