World Cultures
Middle East
Extra Credit
To help you understand the relevance of our course content
and to give you practice analyzing political cartoons, you are
to locate a current and RELEVANT political cartoon from a
newspaper, news magazine, online news source or book.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Choose a current and RELEVANT political cartoon
from a news source (not Kim Kardashian!!!). The cartoon
should be from within the last month to count as current.
2) Topics should relate to what we are learning about the Middle East in class. (i.e. Arab-Israeli
Conflict, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, extremist groups in the region, etc.)
3) Search for political cartoons relating to the aforementioned topics/themes. The following is a list
of websites you may want to use, though you may look elsewhere:
http://editorialcartoonists.com/
http://www.usnews.com/cartoons
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/political-cartoons
http://www.usatoday.com/opinion/cartoons/
http://www.newyorker.com/politics/cartoons
4) At the top left corner of the paper along with your heading (Name & Period), include
Topic Choice:
Publication:
Illustrator:
Date:
5) Your cartoon should be cut out neatly and mounted on the top of your paper.
6.) You will type 3 paragraphs about the cartoon. These should appear below the cartoon.

The first paragraph should explain the cartoon and analyze the symbolism used.
o Think: What object are used as symbols? Why were the symbols used and what do they
represent? Is anything exaggerated and what might that imply? What emotions are visible in
the cartoon? What words or phrases appear to be important?

The second paragraph should discuss the meaning of the cartoon.
o Think: What is the cartoon’s message?

The third paragraph should reflect your thoughts about the cartoon’s message.
o Think: Do you agree or disagree with the illustrator’s message? Why?
6.) This assignment should be thoughtful, appear neat and be free of grammar and format errors in
order to receive full credit.
7.)No points will be given to political cartoons over 4 weeks old, or if the article is off topic (meaning
it is not related to the assigned theme).
8.) If you complete one perfect analysis you can earn 5 extra credit points and you may complete a
maximum of two cartoon analyses for a max of 10 extra credit points.
9.) This assignment may be turned in on Monday, March 30th or Tuesday the 31st. I will not accept
this after we take our Middle East Part II test!
Name:
Pd:
Topic:
Choice:
Publication:
Illustrator:
Date:
Cartoon
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3