English cartoons

Homework – Analyzing an editorial cartoon

Find one editorial cartoon and analyze it. Bring the cartoon to class with your analysis notes. You will share this with the class, so be prepared to talk about it. Be sure to choose a cartoon that you understand. (And try not to just pick the first one, so that we have many different examples.) There are some links below that you can use to find your cartoon. Often, if you scroll down, or click through the pages/images, you will get to some that are older.

Some sources for editorial cartoons:

• http://theweek.com/cartoons?sort=publish_date&page…
• https://www.usatoday.com/opinion/cartoons/
• https://www.usnews.com/cartoons
• http://comicskingdom.com/editorial
• https://www.gocomics.com/comics/political

As you analyze the cartoon, you may consider the following things:

• What images and words to you see?
• What might they symbolize?
• What event (kairos) is this is response to?
• What is the popular opinion (doxa) about it?
• What is the illustrator (author)’s message?
• What parts of the cartoon (words, images, etc.) contribute to the message?
• What is the author’s purpose/motive?
• Who is the intended audience? (How can you tell?)
• What is the audience supposed to do with this idea (exigence)?
• What strategies of persuasion (logos, ethos, pathos) is it *primarily* using?
• What is your response?