EXERCISE NO. 2. Interpreting Political Cartoons

INSTRUCTION:

Select two political cartoons that are dated between 2007 up to present from among the top Newspapers in the Philippines. You may look at the Library or search it in the Internet.

Choose Political Cartoons which depict two (2) of the following issues:

1. Suffrage 2. Environmental Protection 3. Due Process 4. Freedom of Expression 5. Freedom of Religion 6. Presumption of Innocence 7. Martial Law 8. Mindanao Rebellion 9. Insurgency 10. Human Rights Abuses 11. Public Accountability and Transparency 12. Impeachment 13. Independence of the Judiciary 14. Filipino Citizenship 15. Poverty in the Philippines 16. Graft and Corruption 17. Political Dynasty 18. Political Party Loyalty 19. Education 20. Agrarian Reform

Analyzing political cartoons. Analyze the political cartoons you choose in the following manner:

1) What is the event or issue that inspired the cartoon? What background knowledge do you need to understand the message?

2) Are there any real people in the cartoon? If so, who are they and what have they done that created an issue upon which the cartoonist wants to comment? If not, what is the issue all about?

3) What techniques did the cartoonist use and how do they help

you understand his/her perspective? If you own the newspaper clippings, cut the political cartoons or photocopy it and paste it in the Exercises Sheet in your workbook with heading on the issues you have selected. One political cartoon, including the analysis, per page. Submission:

1. On line submission with your scanned political cartoon and the analysis on or before September 30, 2012. Send your soft copy to my email at jundumaug@yahoo.co.uk with the following subject: SUBJECT: (YOUR FAMILY AND SECTION): POLITICAL CARTOON

2. Submission of Hard Copy: For TTH Classes: October 2, 2012 For WF Classes: October 3, 2012

Example: EXERCISE NO. 2

RH BILL

ANALYSIS: (Answering the questions above)

WHAT IS A POLITICAL CARTOON?

A political cartoon is created to make people think about an issue facing society and to express the cartoonist’s perspective on the issue.

Cartoonists use a number of different techniques to communicate their perspective.

Symbolism Using an object to stand for larger concepts or ideas.

After you identify the symbols in cartoon, think about what the cartoonist intends each symbol to stand for.

Exaggeration/caricature Sometimes cartoonists overdo, or exaggerate, the physical characteristics of people or things in order to make a point (e.g. big nose, bushy eyebrows, large ears).

e.g. President’s nose. Pres. GMA’s neck.

When you study a cartoon, look for any characteristics that seem overdone or overblown (facial characteristics and clothing are some of the most commonly exaggerated characteristics). Then, try to decide what point the cartoonist was trying to make through exaggeration.

Captioning and labels Sometimes a cartoonist will label something to make sure that there is no confusion for readers (i.e. to make it clear exactly what they stand for). The labels and captioning might also add emphasis to a certain point of the cartoon.

Make sure that you look at the entire cartoon for details that might include labels.

Ask yourself why the cartoonist chose to label a particular object of person. Does the label make the meaning of the

object clearer?

Analogy A comparison between to unlike things that share some common characteristics. By comparing a complex issue or situation with a more familiar one, cartoonists can help their readers see it in a different light.

After you’ve studied a cartoon for a while, try to decide what the cartoon’s main analogy is. What two situations does the cartoon compare? Once you understand the main analogy, decide if this comparison makes the cartoonist’s point clearer.

Irony The difference between the way things are and the way they should be, or the way things are expected to be. Cartoonists often use irony to express their opinion on an issue.

When you look at a cartoon, see if you can find any irony in the situation the cartoon depicts. If you can, think about what point the irony might be intended to emphasize. Does the irony help the cartoonist express his or her opinion more effectively?

Juxtaposition Positioning people or objects close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

What message does the cartoonist send by comparing or contrasting people or objects?

Examples of Symbols used in Political Cartoons

peace - dove, olive branch, victory sign.

Philippines – Maria Clara, flag

Leftist/Communist - hammer and sickle, red star, bear

Death - vulture, skeleton with shroud, skull and crossbones, grim reaper.

Love - heart, Cupid, Venus.

Money - Peso bill or sign.

Heroes or good guys - wear white.

Villains or bad guys - wear black.