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Political Cartoon Assignment
Political Cartoon Assignment
Introduction:
The strong feelings raised by politics and international issues are subjects for political
cartoonists around the world. Cartoons not only reflect the events of the times, but they often
offer an interpretation or express a strong opinion about these events as well.
Cartoonists use a variety of methods to convey their ideas. The techniques they use include:
Labels:
Symbolism:
Analogy:
Irony:
Instructions:
Working independently or with a partner [one only], you will be asked to identify the
techniques each cartoonist used. The following questions will help guide your thinking:
If the cartoonist used labels, what things in the cartoon are labeled? What do you
think the cartoonist chose to label those things?
If the cartoonist used symbolism, what things in the cartoon are symbols? What
do they stand for?
If the cartoonist used an analogy, what two ideas or situations re compared? How
does this comparison help the viewer see the complex situation in a different way?
If the cartoonist used irony, what does the cartoonist show about the way things
are? How does the cartoonist think things should be?
World Cultures 11
Unit II: Russia
Name[s]_______________________________
_______________________________
Ukrainian Crisis
Questions: Political Cartoon #___1__
1. Describe the objects or people in the cartoon.
There are 2 men who are assumed to be conductors, making the stereotypical All
Aboard call. The cartoon is in a backwoods setting (because of the cabin and the trees).
There are 2 trains connected to the same car. The car is labeled Ukraine. The Train
Engine on the left is labeled Europe and the Train Engine on the right is labeled Russia.
3. Identify at least two techniques that the cartoonist used and explain what ideas are
conveyed through each technique.
a. Labels: He labeled the trains to show the metaphorical tug-of-war going on
between the EU and Russia over Ukraine.