Critical Thinking: Political Cartoons

 Critical Thinking: Political Cartoons

Media is a strong tool of influence on people. For example, newspapers, magazines, and television may reflect different views on the same phenomenon. It may be sometimes difficult to identify the truth and understand the real state of affairs. That is why people make political cartoons to depict the reality.

Political cartoons aim at the society and politicians in order to mock and draw their attention to different social, cultural and political problems. In order to achieve the desired effect, the artist uses persuasive techniques, such as exaggeration, analogy, labeling, irony, satire, AND symbolism. The author uses irony to show his or her own opinion regarding the discussed issue, whether it is positive or negative. This technique makes the audience laugh, and, at the same time, identify the truth. All the pictures include symbols or simple objects that stand for different things. They helps the audience interpret the message and look at the issue from the different perspective. Some elements represent peoples  beliefs, expectations, and hopes. The cartoons depict the caricatures of important political personalities exaggerating their characteristics. The artists do this in order to criticize the actions that seem to be immoral and incorrect. The cartoons mock actions, events, and situations that are serious and important in reality. In such a way, the artists try to focus and pay attention to these details.

All the pictures include labeling to make it clear what the objects or people stand for. With the help of this technique, the meaning is easier to comprehend. The main motifs of the pictures are relations between countries, president’s attitude toward society, social inequality, and future prospects for youth. However, the main theme that unites all the cartoons is the political, cultural and social status of the state.

In conclusion, the interpretation of the cartoon depends on the knowledge and interest in what is going on around a person. All these pictures show the imperfectness of the country and its political system. These cartoons make one take off his or her blinders and plunge into the abyss of imperfection. They motivate one to make the world better and to be the honest and fair citizen. This article was written by Jeff Kip .More my works you can see here https://essayslab.com/