Political cartoonists interpret their subjects by placing them within a framework. Each cartoon--whether implicitly or explicitly--has a thesis, a message that it is trying to convey. For this assignment, you will be working with a political cartoon, placing it within its political context and determining what its message is and how well the cartoon conveys that message. Keep in mind that even though they are called political cartoons, you do not have to work with a cartoon that is about politics – any cartoon on a contemporary and specific incident/person will do. There are examples of past student thesis statements on the last page of this prompt.
To begin with, choose a political cartoon published within the last six months from a newspaper or magazine (you can also get some from online sources – see below). Cartoons that focus on something specific that you can research work best for this assignment. YOU WILL NEED TO INCLUDE A COPY OF THE CARTOON WITH YOUR PAPER. Determine the "event" behind the cartoon--that is, the reason the cartoon was written and, using periodical sources (newspapers and magazines), look into the facts behind the event. Note: your paper must include at least three periodical sources (although one can be an internet source) and a Works Cited page (more specifics below), so don’t just briefly scan sources; find those that give the best information on the event. You are only doing research to understand the issue the cartoonist is taking about. Research is only part of this assignment - the paper should not be entirely a retelling of your research.**
Then, with this information and the cartoon, you can begin the other important stuff that needs to be in your essay - your analysis and evaluation. This means you need to do the following:
• Explain the subject of the cartoon and the framework in which the cartoonist presents it (the framework is often the situation or metaphor lot the cartoon).
• Identify any irregularities in the cartoon and consider why they have been included.
• Consider the little details the cartoonist included and how they affect the cartoon itself and suggest something about the cartoonist’s view on the event.
• Identify what you think the cartoonist’s view of the event is.
• Consider how the cartoon affects your view of the event – does it make you see the event in a different light than the facts suggest? Does it reinforce the way you see the facts of the events? (That is, do you agree or disagree with the cartoonist’s opinion of the event? Why)
All of this "considering" entails analysis and evaluation; that is, I am not looking for the "right" answer but instead want to see how you view these elements, given what you have learned of the event and what you think of it. Throughout your analysis/evaluation, be sure you support your argument through a consideration of the cartoon itself as well as the facts of the event.
You can present the information in any format you like, but keep in mind that I will be looking at several things: (1) an explanation of the context of the cartoon; (2) an analysis of the cartoon and the cartoonist’s attitude implied by the cartoon; and (3) an analysis of the effect the cartoon has on you as a reader, both with regard to the cartoon and with regard to the event (without using “I” or other first and second person pronouns).
Hints for the writing process:
As you compose and revise the drafts of this paper, keep in mind the following:
• Pick a topic that you aren’t already too opinionated about (especially if it is something that you have a good knowledge of) since then it may be more difficult for you to distinguish what you already knew from what you discovered in researching. Pick a topic you want to learn more about or a cartoon that you don’t understand--this will be a better starting point.
• Local newspapers, magazines, and the Internet are all good sources for political cartoons. You may also try searching one of the following websites:
http://www.newyorker.com/cartoons
http://www.msn.com (search in opinion tab)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/tom-toles
http://www.usnews.com/cartoons
Literally any news magazine should have political cartoons - possibly under an “opinion” tab.
• Consider and designate a specific audience before you begin to write - maybe you’re a critique? Or maybe you’re a student, and you job is to research the context of your cartoon and provide us with just enough information about the event or issue so that we can then formulate an opinion about the cartoonist’s message.
• Remember that this is an analysis/evaluation paper—do not simply describe the cartoon or reiterate the facts of the event.
• Synthesize the research and your analysis; that is, you should not give the researched facts of the event for the first two pages and then discuss the cartoon for the next page and a half. Integrate the researched facts with your analysis; use the research to SUPPORT your analysis, rather than the other way around.
• The emphasis for the paper should be on the cartoon and your reading of it, not on the facts; therefore, your thesis should make a point about the cartoon.
• Take advantage of my comments from previous papers. If I have suggested you review a certain grammar rule, make sure you do so. If you are not sure how to fix the mistake (or what it is), please ASK.
• You will receive points based on your ability to integrate and document sources properly. We will be spending more time on this in the coming weeks, but if you have questions or don’t understand information we are going over, you must be sure to let me know.
• For this paper, since you will typically be dealing with facts about an event, you will generally be better off summarizing or paraphrasing. If the author says something that you cannot adequately paraphrase, then it is okay to quote it, but avoid long quotations in this assignment (you may not use ANY quotes that span over 4 lines). Learn to re-word authors’ ideas and present them in your own words.
• Any factual information you get from the sources MUST BE PROPERLY DOCUMENTED.
• Print sources and highlight passages from sources you plan to use in your paper so that you can easily reference it.
• Read/highlight/annotate (take notes on) the photocopies, I will show you how to make note and source cards in the coming week, and if you make note cards, you will want to triple check quotes to make sure your note cards are accurate. If you have paraphrased or summarized, make sure you are putting the ideas IN YOUR OWN WORDS, without inadvertently borrowing phrases from the author. If you have quoted, be sure you have done so accurately.
• Double-check your parenthetical references to be sure it is clear what source you are referring to and that the page number matches the page(s) where the information is found.
• Check word choice, spelling, punctuation, and overall clarity prior to turning in your final draft.
Notes about sources for this paper:
• All sources must be periodical sources (magazines, journals or newspaper articles), although I will allow you to use at least one Internet source (and periodical sources can come from databases or the internet). No encyclopedia sources.
• You must use a variety of sources. This means you cannot rely on Newsweek or any single source for all of your information.
• You will need a minimum of three periodical sources, which means three DIFFERENT magazines or newspapers (finding an article in the Los Angeles Times which ran on August 11, 12, and 13 does NOT count as three sources).
• Be sure you find the best sources you can, not the first few you come to. Remember, as well, that not everything that is on the Internet is a reliable source; be sure you consider the reliability/authority of a source before quoting or citing it.
• If you are using a computer database or an Internet source for the periodical, you cannot treat the source as an original on your Works Cited page but must recognize you got the information from the database.
• Sources must be in English.
• Sources must be integrated and documented correctly, according to MLA documentation standards.
There is a required Annotated Bibliography for this assignment. I will also show you how to make note and source cards. The note cards are optional; you do not need to submit them to me, but you may scan images of your cards and email them to me for feedback.
Sample student thesis statements (analyzing older cartoons):
The cartoon argues that in the public eye, serious issues involving celebrities lose value and meaning and become a media circus merely for entertainment, just as they did in the Kobe Bryant case.
John Deering, in his cartoon, is trying to shed light on the fact that the heroic coal miners of this country are tragically and unnecessarily paying the ultimate price – their very lives – to furnish Americans with the coal that often heats our homes because these often-forgotten brave men are not protected by the government agency that is supposed to ensure their protection, not protected by the companies for whom they work, and not appreciated by Americans in general.
In Borgman’s cartoon, a depiction of Senator John Edwards and Vice President Cheney during their debate together, facts are missing and the backgrounds of both men are deliberately distorted to sway undecided voters.