Analyzing Political Cartoons
At the end of this lesson students will be able to
1. Identify five elements of a political cartoon.
Symbols
Exaggeration
Irony
Captioning and Labeling
Analogy
2. Identify the methods and techniques used by the
cartoonist to convey a message.
Symbolism-Using an object to stand for an idea
Captioning and Labels-Used for clarity and
emphasis
Analogy-a comparison between two unlike
things that share some characteristics
Irony-the difference between the way things are and
the way things should be or the way things are
expected to be
Exaggeration-overstating or magnifying a
problem or a physical feature or habit
Analyzing Political Cartoons
First we will look at some modern day cartoons.
Try to see if you can tell what the cartoonist is trying to say.
How does the cartoonist use symbolism, exaggeration, irony
labeling, and analogy?
What methods and techniques did the cartoonist use?
Analyzing Political Cartoons
Now lets look at some from through out history.
See if you can determine what the cartoonist is
saying with the cartoon.
Look for the five elements of a political cartoon.
Symbols, Exaggeration, Irony, Labeling and Captioning,
Analogy
Get out your Political cartoon analysis worksheet
Stupid
Indians
Do You Think Wovoka REALLY Meant It?
How can
anyone
be so
dumb?
Dance! Dance!
No bullets can
penetrate our
ghost shirts!
Wovoka said.
That will be
one dead
Indian!
No Risk
Dancing
Area
No Risk
Dancing
Area
Ghost
Shirt
I TRIED to tell
them!
Ghost
Shirt
Now
You
Try
Symbolism-Using an object to stand for an idea
Captioning and Labels-Used for clarity and emphasis
Analogy-a comparison between two unlike things
that share some characteristics
Irony-the difference between the way things are
and the way things should be or the way things are
expected to be
Exaggeration-overstating or magnifying a problem
or a physical feature or habit