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Political Cartoons
A political cartoon is a drawing
that makes a statement about a
political event
or issue.
•
Thomas Nast, 1840-1902
Editorial cartoons
have a long and
"illustrious" history.
Widely credited as
"the father of the
editorial cartoon,"
illustrator Thomas
Nast expressed his
opinions on a wide
range of political and
social issues during
the last half of the
19th century.
Thomas Nast, 1840-1902
• Many consider Nast's cartoons to be a
chronicle of U.S. history during that period.
His cartoons were widely influential;
• every presidential candidate Nast supported
was elected!
• He devised the Tammany tiger;
• popularized the donkey as the symbol for
the Democratic Party
• and elephant, for the Republican Party;
• and created the "modern" image of Santa
Claus.
Cartoonists Persuasive
Techniques
• Symbolism:
• Cartoonists use simple objects or
symbols, to stand for larger concepts
or ideas.
Cartoonists Persuasive
Techniques
• Exaggeration:
•Sometimes cartoonists overdo, or
exaggerate the physical
characteristics of people or things in
order to make a point.
Cartoonists Persuasive
Techniques
• Labeling:
•Cartoonists often label objects or
people to make it clear exactly what
they stand for.
Cartoonists Persuasive
Techniques
• Analogy:
• This is a comparison between two unlike
things that share some characteristics. By
comparing hard-to-understand issues or
situations with familiar ones, the
cartoonists can help the reader see the
message of the cartoon in a different
light.
Fr. Cartoon 1900 c
What Great powers are
represented here?
What are they doing?
Cartoonists Persuasive
Techniques
• Irony:
•This is the difference between the
way things are and the way they
should be, or are expected to be.
Irony is often used in cartoons to
express an opinion or issue.
Benjamin Franklin drew the first
published American cartoon in 1754
Political Cartoons – Saudi Arabia
Dec 2005
The use of Symbolism and analogies to get
across their anti Semitic political views.
Political Cartoons – Qatar Sept
2005
Anti-Semitic propaganda.