creating a cartoon essay

visuals + words = message

• Political cartoons are created using a specific formula.

• job of a political cartoonist is to have opinions

• speak in a visual language of symbols and caricatures

• have to be clear and quick with their message or you won’t get the point.

• "To study political cartoons is to study history in the making.”

• Issues addressed can be national or local, the targets personal or political, the approach funny or thoughtful.

cartoon analysis - visuals

• 1. List the objects or people in the cartoon.

• 2. Which of the objects / people are symbols?

• 3. What do each of the symbols mean?

cartoon analysis - words

• 1. Identify the cartoon caption and / or title.

• 2. Locate three words or phrases used by the cartoonist to identity objects or people within the cartoon.

• 3. Record any important dates or numbers that appear in the cartoon.

• 4. Which words or phrases in the cartoon appear to be the most significant? Explain.

• 5. List adjectives that describe the emotions portrayed in the cartoon.

cartoon analysis

• 1. Describe the action taking place in the cartoon.

• 2. Explain how the words in the cartoon clarify the symbols.

• 3. Explain the message of the cartoon.

• 4. What special interest groups would agree / disagree with the cartoon’s message? Explain.

MJ analysis - visuals

• 1. Michael Jackson is in both frames of the cartoon. In the second one, he is holding his youngest son whom he refers to as “Blanket”.

• 2. Michael Jackson is the symbol in both frames.

• 3. In the first frame MJ is seen at the height of his success, world-famous as a rock-pop singer, with the ubiquitous glove on his right had and the requisite costume in which he traditionally performed. He is very noticeably an African-American. In the second frame, his skin has been lightened, his facial features have been substantially altered, his eyes have a rather glazed appearance and he is clothed in a baggy shirt, wearing bunny slippers on his feet. The glove on his hand has been replaced by a child whose face is covered by a blanket.

MJ analysis - words

• 1. In the first frame, MJ is singing “I’m Bad”, while in the second, he is stating, “I’m Mad”.

• 2. The phrase that identifies this person to be Michael Jackson is “I’m Bad”, repetitious lyrics to his hit single, “Bad”.

• 3. The first frame is dated 1987, when MJ was at the height of his popularity and success—and well-respected as an important musical artist. The second frame is dated 2003, by which time MJ had lightened his skin, altered his face through plastic surgeries, straightened his hair (wearing a wig?), and had started acting rather bizarrely.

• 4. The dates and lyrics/statements in both frames are equally important as they illustrate the degeneration of MJ’s respect as an artist and reputation as a person.

• 5. In Frame One, emotions portrayed are respect and admiration. Frame Two evokes feelings of derision and pity.

MJ analysis• 1. In Frame One, MJ is singing and dancing.

In Frame Two, he is standing, rather lifelessly, holding his youngest child under a blanket.

• 2. The words in both frames clarify MJ’s reputation in the world of pop-culture. In 1987, he was “bad”, — hip, cool, respected, emulated. By 2003, much of the world thought that he was mad, altering his appearance to appear white, accused of molesting boys at his Neverland Ranch, a strange and brief marriage to Lisa Marie Presley, and then fathering (?) three children, all of whom he has sole custody.

• 3. The theme of this cartoon is that at one time Michael Jackson was cool and well respected, a pop icon, but he has become a joke in the eyes of many people, an object of pity for many others. He has gone from “bad” (cool) to “mad” (crazy).

MJ analysis - continued

• 4. MJ’s reputation has suffered greatly, both artistically and personally. He hasn’t had a hit album in years, yet there was a time when he seemed golden. His album “Thriller” is the bestselling album of all time, with 45 million worldwide sales powered by seven Top 10 U.S. singles and eight Grammy Awards. Now he makes the news for his bizarre appearance and behaviour, including his most recent trial, where he was again accused of the sexual molestation of young boys. Despite all of this, however, he does have legions of faithful fans who would not find anything humorous about this cartoon, and feel that MJ was being attacked by the media. Those who have lost respect for him, both as an artist, and as a human being, would find this cartoon rather funny and agree with its message.

the assignment – browse and collect

• Browse through Daryl Cagle's web site, linked in the lesson.

• He has grouped politician cartoons according to their subject matter.

• Click on a subject that interests you, and study the cartoons you find.

• After browsing through the political cartoons on the Cagle web site, finding a subject matter that is interesting to you, collect FIVE cartoons that all deal with the same topic.

the assignment – Power Point

• Copy each of the cartoons onto a different slide in a Power Point slide show.

• On the slide following each cartoon, complete an analysis of that cartoon, answering the questions on the cartoon analysis worksheet, contained in the notes in the PDF file.

• Once you have completed the analysis for five cartoons, create a final slide that will summarize what, in general, the political cartoons have to say about the subject matter you are studying.

the assignment – summaryPower Point will be at least 12 slides:

• title

• cartoon one• cartoon one analysis

• cartoon two• cartoon two analysis

• cartoon three• cartoon three analysis

• cartoon four• cartoon four analysis

• cartoon five• cartoon five analysis

• summary of message of subject matter

overall message(s) of MJ cartoons