Exemplar: Note that you will include specific stats and facts to demonstrate your research and thus must include embedded citations and a properly formatted Works Cited page with your assignment. Harper’s Meltdown
Political Cartoon Analysis
This cartoon is set in Canada’s Arctic and depicts two polar bears looking
at Prime Minister Stephen Harper who is slowly sinking into the frigid water
as his small and insignificant “platform” melts away. The polar bears are
Introduction answers analysis questions 1-­‐3 sarcastically commenting on Harper’s arguably insufficient environmental
platform for addressing climate change and the impact it is having on Canada’s
ice caps and northern wildlife in particular. Polar bears were chosen as the main
characters of the cartoon as they are a specie whose survival is directly
threatened by climate change. Harper is waving good-bye with a stunned look on
his face, which represents his response of shying away from the issue,
addressing it too late or the fact that his inaction may be causing him to “sink” in
the polls. This cartoon clearly communicates a strong message about a pressing
Canadian and global environmental and political issue.
This cartoon portrays Harper’s response to climate change in a negative
light by having him standing alone and sinking on a small ice floe; an appropriate
metaphor for what is currently taking place in the far North. By having the polar
bears sarcastically comment on the Prime Minister’s response to this serious
issue, the reader gets the sense that it is clear that many people feel that Harper
has done too little, too late. Thus, the use of sarcasm helps to convey a
negative message about the conservative government’s response to
climate change. I wanted to communicate my dissatisfaction with Harper’s
This section answers questions 4-­‐6 Exemplar: Note that you will include specific stats and facts to demonstrate your research and thus must include embedded citations and a properly formatted Works Cited page with your assignment. inaction as his government only responded to this environmental crisis upon the
release of a UN report to the public, which resulted in public outcry and a change
in poll standings. Harper needs to take a more proactive, rather than reactive,
approach to this increasingly complex issue as it has far-reaching and severe
consequences for Canada and the global community.
After analyzing my cartoon, I think I could have made it more effective by
exaggerating the setting. For example, I think the severity of the issue could be
communicated if one polar bear was struggling to swim in the water while the
other was on a thin piece of ice tanning under the sun. This would show how the
bears are being affected while illustrating the environmental impact increased
temperatures are having on the physical environment. Suitable titles for this
particular cartoon include “Harper’s Sinking Ship” or “Harper’s Meltdown.” These
proposed titles reinforce my viewpoint on the issue while leaving the reader
to interpret the image.
This section answers analysis question 7