How Do Political Cartoonists Convey their Points of View?
Interpreting Data
All documents and text associated with this activity are printed below, followed by a worksheet for student responses.Introduction
Quickly scan the cartoon. Think about what you notice first. Identify the caption and any words, people, objects, and places that Clifford Berryman, the artist who drew this cartoon, uses.Next, decide which artistic techniques Berryman uses in the cartoon. Click on "+ Add Text" in the bottom left corner and label the techniques that you find. For each label, also include how the artist uses it. For example, if you identify a symbol, include what you think the symbol represents.
Here is a list of common political cartoon techniques for your reference:
Personification: A human form used to represent an idea or thing.
Symbol: A visual element that stands for something else. Symbols are often objects meant to represent ideas.
Exaggeration: A characteristic that is overstated or heightened.
Analogy: A comparison of two otherwise unlike things based on the resemblance of a particular aspect. Analogies are often used to explain complex ideas.
Irony: Expressing the opposite of what is expected, or depicting a situation to be a certain way on the surface, when it is very different from how things really are.
To decode Berryman's message and understand which techniques he employs in this cartoon, it may be helpful to see the newspaper where it originally appeared: the August 20, 1939 edition of the Washington Evening Star.
After you've finished labeling the cartoon, answer the questions in the "When You're Done" section.
Analogy: A comparison of two otherwise unlike things based on the resemblance of a particular aspect. Analogies are often used to explain complex ideas.
Irony: Expressing the opposite of what is expected, or depicting a situation to be a certain way on the surface, when it is very different from how things really are.
To decode Berryman's message and understand which techniques he employs in this cartoon, it may be helpful to see the newspaper where it originally appeared: the August 20, 1939 edition of the Washington Evening Star.
After you've finished labeling the cartoon, answer the questions in the "When You're Done" section.
Name:
Class:
Class:
Worksheet
How Do Political Cartoonists Convey their Points of View?
Interpreting Data
Examine the document or documents below. Use the numbers to refer to the questions or hints provided. Then label the documents(s) with additional numbers or symbols based if you were asked to do in the introduction and explain them in the margins. Write your conclusion response in the space provided.
1
Activity Element
It`s A Good Act But It`s Hard On The Spectators
Page 1
Conclusion
How Do Political Cartoonists Convey their Points of View?
Interpreting Data
Answer the following in the box below:What world events are depicted in this cartoon?
What is artist Clifford Berryman's point of view on these events?
How does Berryman convey his point of view through artistic techniques in this cartoon?
Your Response
Document
It's A Good Act But It's Hard On The Spectators
Page 1
