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Donald Duck, Captain America, OH MY!Introduction to Interpreting Political Cartoons and Propaganda

LWBBAT…Analyze U.S. propaganda in terms of what message is being displayed, how it is being displayed, and why it is being displayedUnderstand and explain the influence of the propagandaCompare the influence of propaganda used during the war with the propaganda we see within the media today

What do you see?

Why We Study Them

Primary SourceOffers insights into: public mood, underlying cultural assumptions of an age, and attitudes toward key events or trends of the times

Significant and impacting influence in outcomes of important events, such as:

Joseph Keppler’s magazine, “Puck” and presidential election between Ulysses Grant and Grover Cleveland

Animal mascots of Political Parties

How to Interpret Political Cartoons Step 1: Understanding the Purpose

Focuses on social and political issues

Blends fact and opinion

Express strongly held perspectives on those issues through imagery

Use emotional appeals and other techniques

Meant to sway the viewer’s opinion to agree with that of the artist and get a reaction

Understanding Political Cartoons Step 2: Understanding Persuasive

TechniquesVisual Distortion or Exaggeration- Overemphasizing a situation or portraying it as “bigger than life” with words or visually Caricature- Distortion of a person’s features, but still keeping the person recognizable

Example

Techniques Cont’dStereotyping- Showing all persons of one group as looking or acting the same

Labeling- Labels to make clear exactly what objects stand for

Example

Techniques Cont’d

Symbol and Metaphor- Using a sign or object to stand for something else, usually a larger concept or ideaAnalogy- comparison between two unlike things that share some characteristics.

Example

Techniques Cont’dSatire- Pointing out something wrong and ridiculing itIrony in Words or Images- Sarcasm by using language that normally signifies the opposite of real meaning

Example

Understanding Political Cartoons Step 3: Ask

Yourself Questions and Seek Answers

What objects or people do you see?What is the caption or title?What labels are used for what objects?Are there any important dates or numbers?Do you have any ideas of what the issue could be that is addressed?Do you have an idea of what the artist’s opinion might be?

Understanding Political Cartoons Step 4:

Contextual KnowledgeIf you don’t know yet, learn the historical context in which the cartoon was designed in

Enables you to recognize the issue being addressed based on the ideas of the time

http://www.fergusbordewich.com/TIMELINE/timeline3.jpg

Captain America and Wonder Woman!

America’s WWII Symbols of Heroism and Patriotism!

Understanding Political Cartoons Step 4: Ask Yourself Questions

About Techniques and Seek AnswersUsing your knowledge about the

historical context and use of persuasive techniques, answer the following:

Which of the objects are symbols?What do you think each symbol means?What other persuasive techniques are being used, and what do they represent?What words and phrases are most significant? Why?What adjectives describe emotions provoked in the cartoon?

Step 4 Cont’dUsing what you’ve learned from those answers, what is the message of the political cartoon?What is the opinion/bias of the artist?

Understanding Political Cartoons Step 5: Evaluation

Process of Inquiry- Ask and answer more questions!How effective was the cartoonist in swaying the audience?

What was done well?What could have been illustrated better? How?

Do you agree with the opinion? Why or why not?

Donald Duck Sure is Glad to Be a Citizen of the United States of

America!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZcs1SHVbz0&feature=player_embedded

BibliographyBeal, C., Bolick, C., & Martorella, P. H. (2009). Teaching social studies in middle and secondary schools. (5 ed., p. 310). New York: Pearson.Burack, J. (2010). Interpreting political cartoons in the history classroom. Retrieved from http://teachinghistory.org/teaching-materials/teaching-guides/21733Cartoon anaylsis worksheet. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/cartoon.htmlMcLaughlin, M. (2010). Content area reading. (pp. 4-26). Boston: Pearson.Social studies skills. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://curriculum.cfbisd.edu/cp_docs/social studies/strategies col/Strategies 2.htmTeachers' guide for the professional cartoonists' index. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cagle.com/teacher/

The influence of political cartoons in american presidential elections. (2010, November 2). Retrieved from https://www.phoenix.edu/colleges_divisions/humanities/articles/2010/11/the-influence-of-political-cartoons-in-american-presidential-elections.htmlf

Using political cartoons in the classroom. (2006-2011). Retrieved from https://www.phoenix.edu/colleges_divisions/education/articles/2010/12/using-political-cartoons-in-the-classroom.htmlWilliam Magear Tweed. (2011). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/610865/William-Magear-Tweed

Picture Referenceshttp://images.wikia.com/psychology/images/1/19/PropagandaNaziJapaneseMonster.gif

http://www.warandtactics.com/smf/propaganda-marches-uniforms-medals-ranks-flags/us-propaganda-from-wwii/

http://images.bcdb.com/ad_im/disney/fuehrer_face3.jpg?u=

http://cdn.hoboken411.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/barack-obama-cartoon-spreading-the-wealth-to-mccain.jpg

http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/a189c287-89c7-4fc1-b298-0ef03ab2c047.html

http://bored-bored.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/dr-house-caricature.jpg