Name:_____________________
ELA 12
Reading Political Cartoons
Choose a political cartoon about an issue or event that interests you, write the artists name and
give the cartoon a title or heading. Reconstruct the cartoon as a rough sketch or doodle. Then,
identify the cartoon’s features in the organizer below, and analyze the cartoon’s message.
Title: ________________________
Artist: _______________________
IDENTIFY the Cartoon’s Features
Figures and Symbols
Exaggeration or Caricature
Irony
Stereotypes
Dialogue and Captions
Allusions to Current Events
or Trends
Name:_____________________
ANALYZE the Cartoon’s Message
Use the figures, symbols, and
text to identify the issue at play.
Decide what perspective the
artist has on the issue.
Think about what audience the
cartoon is made for.
Identify rhetorical appeals the
artist is making.
(Logos, Pathos, Ethos)
State the message of the
cartoon.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the
cartoon.
ELA 12