Understanding political satire and decoding a political cartoon
To the average person, political cartoons are merely forms of entertainment. However, a scrutiny of contemporary and past political cartoons would substantiate that political cartoons are essential forms of strategic communication which aim at sending specific messages depending on prevailing events in the political climate. The field of political cartoons could be considered an art that utilizes the latent power of advertising in driving a message home. The art of developing political cartoons necessitates high levels of critical judgment among political cartoonists while coming up with ideas on how to generate persuasive caricature of public figures. As such, well-structured caricatures are indispensable in triggering the attitudes and behaviors of the target audience to act in a particular way (Pavlik and Shawn 412; Sundem). At an abstract level, political cartoons have varied goals. Triggering social activism when political figures overstep their mandates is one of the most significant goals. In that regard, when political cartoons employ hyperbole to demonstrate the effects of supposedly far-fetched political decisions by elected officials, the public opinion on the political decisions in question are likely to shift in favor the political cartoon; thereby, prompting social activism. Other than social action, the effects of political caricature have been known to trigger propaganda.
When one previews the above cartoon one would notice that the primary character is a male character. One would also notice that the character is President Donald Trump. The President appears to be hurling insults at a powerless woman while the President’s spokesperson demonstrates how the President is dedicated to spreading words of kindness. In that regard, at first sight the audience could question why President Trump is hurling insults behind the scenes while allowing his spokesperson to protect the Presidency’s positive public image. A critical analysis of the visual satire used in the caricature would reveal that the cartoon encapsulates what has been happening concerning President Trump’s leadership style since 2017. In actuality, Americans have been concerned that President Trump has gradually become a political leader who does not care about his words and actions.
The concern over President Trump’s leadership style is exacerbated by the fact he seems to disregard expert advice and listens only to himself. In Cartoon 2, the president is illustrated as having a team of advisers that comprises only of himself. The political caricature apparently aims to buttress the criticism that the president seems to be comfortable with only his own thoughts and handles important policy issues based only on his whims and caprices.What's even more? By using inflated balloons to show the president's advisers who are of course, himself, the cartoon depicts that the president has an exaggerated opinion about the astuteness of those ideas of his' which to him, trumps the opinions of proven experts.
Like Cartoon 2, Cartoon 3 mocks the President Trump’s managerial style that has been further typified by controversies related to his supposed arrogance. Here, the cartoonist draws the audience’s attention using the techniques of analogy and hyperbole. The cartoonist compares the President’s ignorance to his billionaire status before he was elected President by portraying the President to be admitting that he is rich. When communicating with an audience, it is useful to appeal to their emotions in a bid to leave them with something to deliberate about in future (University of California Berkeley; Watkins). In that regard, the cartoonist uses hyperbole to show how President Trump openly admits that nobody can see his taxes; meaning, he might not be a dedicated taxpayer himself. The political caricature aims to convince Americans that there is need for social action that would inspire American voters to be extremely careful when electing future Presidents. That is because the President’s arrogance shows his self-centeredness.
In strategic communications, it is essential to use the power of logic in the context of current events to ensure that the message comes out convincingly (Graphic Design History; The Museum of Public Relations). As such, the cartoonists combine the techniques of labeling, irony and overstatement to persuade the public audience that President Trump should not be allowed to manipulate Americans. Cartoonist 1, for instance, draws the attention of the audience by depicting the President’s spokesperson as smiling when addressing the public while the President is hurling insults. The usage of irony in the visual satire, in particular, makes the political cartoon extremely effective in persuading the American public that the President is discourteous. In Cartoon 2 and Cartoon 3, the president is portrayed as brutish and self-conceited.
Source: NZZ am Sonntag, Switzerland, September 8, 2019 by Chappatte
The above cartoon ridicules the controversies relating to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s managerial styles. At the background is the British Parliament. At the front, is a character representing Prime Minister Boris Johnson walking from the Parliament with clenched fists while wearing a pair of shorts and a tie without a shirt while admitting that he has dealt with the lawmakers concerning the beleaguered Brexit process. Here, the cartoonist draws the audience’s attention using the techniques of analogy and hyperbole just like Cartoon 3 did with President Donald Trump of the United States. As such, the cartoon ridicules the fight between Prime Minister Johnson and the Parliament by depicting the battle between the prime minister and the lawmakers as a bruising one given that it has left the prime minister without a shirt. Surely, in communicating with the audience, there is an appeal to their emotions, and they have been left with something to contemplate regarding the character that was illustrated. The political caricature aims to convince the British that the constant blows between the overly combative prime minister and the Parliament are detrimental to the country’s development.
Conclusion
As evident in the four political cartoons used in this discussion, most political caricatures massively employ the power of sarcasm to drive the intended message home. The widespread usage of political cartoons has evolved from the sheer sense of entertainment to a way of strategic communication. Visually satirizing politicians who are entrusted with making decisions which affect the citizenry serves the purpose of questioning the effectiveness of the choices which such individuals make. To that end, when a cartoonist determines that the President, for example, is making self-centered decisions which glaringly lack the interests of the citizenry at heart, the cartoonist could employ hyperbole to overstate the President’s decisions in a political cartoon. That way, the value of political satire becomes evident when newspaper audiences, for example, begin being cognizant of the need to oppose unpopular political decisions which affect the day-day lives. Again, visual satire is effective in persuading the public audience about the need to stop vices such as violence and corruption which political figures use to maintain their fame. However, political cartoons are inclined to be misused occasionally. Visually satirizing a political figure jeopardizes the public image of public and political figures; thereby, facilitating opponents to use political cartoons merely as propaganda for strategically persuading an audience to reject the endeavors of the politicians who are being satirized.
Works Cited
Graphic Design History. “Early Advertising.” Graphic Design History. Graphic Design History, n.d, http://www.designhistory.org/Advertising_pages/FirstAd.html
Pavlik, John V, and Shawn McIntosh. Converging Media: A New Introduction to Mass Communication. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Print.
Sundem, Garth. “How do TV commercials influence American culture?” How Stuff Works, InfoSpace Holdings LLC, 2019, https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/tv-and-culture/commercials-influence-american-culture.htm
The Museum of Public Relations. “History of Public Relations.” PR Museum, Museum of Public Relations, n.d., http://www.prmuseum.org/pr-timeline/
University of California Berkeley. “Public Relations, Advertising & Marketing - What's the Difference?” Berkeley, UC Regents, n.d., https://career.berkeley.edu/Communications/PublicRelationsAdvMktg
Watkins, Elizabeth. “Guide to Advertising Technology.” cjr, Columbia Journalism Review, 4 Dec 2018, https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/the-guide-to-advertising-technology.php
Contemporary Political Cartoon 1
Source: POLITICO.com, U.S., September 24, 2019 by Matt Wuerker
When one previews the above cartoon one would notice that the primary character is a male character. One would also notice that the character is President Donald Trump. The President appears to be hurling insults at a powerless woman while the President’s spokesperson demonstrates how the President is dedicated to spreading words of kindness. In that regard, at first sight the audience could question why President Trump is hurling insults behind the scenes while allowing his spokesperson to protect the Presidency’s positive public image. A critical analysis of the visual satire used in the caricature would reveal that the cartoon encapsulates what has been happening concerning President Trump’s leadership style since 2017. In actuality, Americans have been concerned that President Trump has gradually become a political leader who does not care about his words and actions.
Contemporary Political Cartoon 2
Source: The Economist, September 13, 2019 by Kal
The concern over President Trump’s leadership style is exacerbated by the fact he seems to disregard expert advice and listens only to himself. In Cartoon 2, the president is illustrated as having a team of advisers that comprises only of himself. The political caricature apparently aims to buttress the criticism that the president seems to be comfortable with only his own thoughts and handles important policy issues based only on his whims and caprices.What's even more? By using inflated balloons to show the president's advisers who are of course, himself, the cartoon depicts that the president has an exaggerated opinion about the astuteness of those ideas of his' which to him, trumps the opinions of proven experts.
Contemporary Political Cartoon 3
Source: Political Cartoons.com, April 5, 2019 by Ed Wexler
Like Cartoon 2, Cartoon 3 mocks the President Trump’s managerial style that has been further typified by controversies related to his supposed arrogance. Here, the cartoonist draws the audience’s attention using the techniques of analogy and hyperbole. The cartoonist compares the President’s ignorance to his billionaire status before he was elected President by portraying the President to be admitting that he is rich. When communicating with an audience, it is useful to appeal to their emotions in a bid to leave them with something to deliberate about in future (University of California Berkeley; Watkins). In that regard, the cartoonist uses hyperbole to show how President Trump openly admits that nobody can see his taxes; meaning, he might not be a dedicated taxpayer himself. The political caricature aims to convince Americans that there is need for social action that would inspire American voters to be extremely careful when electing future Presidents. That is because the President’s arrogance shows his self-centeredness.
In strategic communications, it is essential to use the power of logic in the context of current events to ensure that the message comes out convincingly (Graphic Design History; The Museum of Public Relations). As such, the cartoonists combine the techniques of labeling, irony and overstatement to persuade the public audience that President Trump should not be allowed to manipulate Americans. Cartoonist 1, for instance, draws the attention of the audience by depicting the President’s spokesperson as smiling when addressing the public while the President is hurling insults. The usage of irony in the visual satire, in particular, makes the political cartoon extremely effective in persuading the American public that the President is discourteous. In Cartoon 2 and Cartoon 3, the president is portrayed as brutish and self-conceited.
Contemporary Political Cartoon 4
Source: NZZ am Sonntag, Switzerland, September 8, 2019 by ChappatteThe above cartoon ridicules the controversies relating to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s managerial styles. At the background is the British Parliament. At the front, is a character representing Prime Minister Boris Johnson walking from the Parliament with clenched fists while wearing a pair of shorts and a tie without a shirt while admitting that he has dealt with the lawmakers concerning the beleaguered Brexit process. Here, the cartoonist draws the audience’s attention using the techniques of analogy and hyperbole just like Cartoon 3 did with President Donald Trump of the United States. As such, the cartoon ridicules the fight between Prime Minister Johnson and the Parliament by depicting the battle between the prime minister and the lawmakers as a bruising one given that it has left the prime minister without a shirt. Surely, in communicating with the audience, there is an appeal to their emotions, and they have been left with something to contemplate regarding the character that was illustrated. The political caricature aims to convince the British that the constant blows between the overly combative prime minister and the Parliament are detrimental to the country’s development.
Conclusion
As evident in the four political cartoons used in this discussion, most political caricatures massively employ the power of sarcasm to drive the intended message home. The widespread usage of political cartoons has evolved from the sheer sense of entertainment to a way of strategic communication. Visually satirizing politicians who are entrusted with making decisions which affect the citizenry serves the purpose of questioning the effectiveness of the choices which such individuals make. To that end, when a cartoonist determines that the President, for example, is making self-centered decisions which glaringly lack the interests of the citizenry at heart, the cartoonist could employ hyperbole to overstate the President’s decisions in a political cartoon. That way, the value of political satire becomes evident when newspaper audiences, for example, begin being cognizant of the need to oppose unpopular political decisions which affect the day-day lives. Again, visual satire is effective in persuading the public audience about the need to stop vices such as violence and corruption which political figures use to maintain their fame. However, political cartoons are inclined to be misused occasionally. Visually satirizing a political figure jeopardizes the public image of public and political figures; thereby, facilitating opponents to use political cartoons merely as propaganda for strategically persuading an audience to reject the endeavors of the politicians who are being satirized.
Works Cited
Graphic Design History. “Early Advertising.” Graphic Design History. Graphic Design History, n.d, http://www.designhistory.org/Advertising_pages/FirstAd.html
Pavlik, John V, and Shawn McIntosh. Converging Media: A New Introduction to Mass Communication. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Print.
Sundem, Garth. “How do TV commercials influence American culture?” How Stuff Works, InfoSpace Holdings LLC, 2019, https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/tv-and-culture/commercials-influence-american-culture.htm
The Museum of Public Relations. “History of Public Relations.” PR Museum, Museum of Public Relations, n.d., http://www.prmuseum.org/pr-timeline/
University of California Berkeley. “Public Relations, Advertising & Marketing - What's the Difference?” Berkeley, UC Regents, n.d., https://career.berkeley.edu/Communications/PublicRelationsAdvMktg
Watkins, Elizabeth. “Guide to Advertising Technology.” cjr, Columbia Journalism Review, 4 Dec 2018, https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/the-guide-to-advertising-technology.php
Very apt satires. Those depictions portray the real Trump. Great write-up
ReplyDeleteThanks
DeleteGreat reading. Well done
ReplyDeleteThanks, dad
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