knowledge of current issues and events; you also need the skills to
study a cartoon to find its full meaning. In "Analyzing Political
Cartoons," students will examine three cartoons that have appeared
in NEWSWEEK in 2001 that invite them to use their knowledge and
develop their skills.
Teacher's Guide
Introduction
Humor is fun, of
course, but humor can
also be a political tool.
Nowhere is the dual purpose of humor more evident than in political cartoons, which use humor
to make social commentary. At first glance, political cartoons may
appear to be simple, but closer reflection reveals that they are actually quite complex. In order to get the joke, you need a thorough
Lesson Plans:
Maureen Costello, Manager
Kenneth Paulsen, Resource Manager
Robyn Eldridge, Assistant Manager
Writer: Julie Weiss, Ph.D.
Analyzing Political Cartoons
"Analyzing Political
Cartoons" is designed to
help students:
z use their knowledge
of current issues
z analyze visual
images
z analyze techniques
cartoonists use for social
commentary
z identify and explain what makes a political cartoon funny,
and why a commentator might use humor
z create a political cartoon
3. The cartoonist is mocking Bush's political
quandary. He is not, however, taking a stand on
stem cell research.
Activity Sheet 1
1. a. Stem cells come from human embryos.
They are particularly well-suited to research
because they can become different types of cells
(e.g., liver, kidney, etc.) Stem cell research looks
for cures to diseases like Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's.
b. Stem cell research is controversial because
stem cells come from human embryos, and some
people think human embryos are human beings
and should not be used for experiments. The
issue Bush faced was whether to allow federal
funds to be used for stem cell research.
c. Bush was stuck between the proverbial
rock and hard place, because two segments of his
conservative Republican base had conflicting
views on the subject. In order to please those
who said human embryos are human life, he
needed to oppose federal funding of stem cell
research. In order to please others who said stem
cell research might lead to cures for deadly diseases, Bush needed to support federal funding
for it.
2.a. Bush's ears are oversized and his face is
overly thin. The exaggeration of his physical features makes him look slightly ridiculous, which
is part of the cartoonist's commentary.
b. The two Bushes symbolize that the president has two different points of view on the subject of stem cell research. The two American
flags suggest that each position in some way
expresses what Americans want.
c. "We cloned him" is ironic, because cloning
is an issue that raises similar ethical concerns to
those raised by stem cell research.
Objectives
Activity Sheet 2
1. a. three wise men, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.
Clues include: the starry night, the camel that
suggests the three men had been traveling, the
cow that shows they are in a barn, and the baby
is in a manger.
b. John Ashcroft, Attorney General. The man
in uniform is presumably a police or military
officer, prepared to detain anyone Ashcroft
might suspect of terrorist connections.
c. Ashcroft is implying that the group might
be terrorists because of how they are dressed,
and that they should, therefore, be detained.
2. a. Ashcroft's height is exaggerated, as are
the headdresses of the three wise men. The exaggeration helps the reader identify them.
b. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus have halos, which
symbolize holiness.
c. It is ironic that the attorney general might
view Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the wise men—
holy people on a holy night—as possible terrorists. It is also unexpected to see modern law
enforcers in a biblical nativity scene.
d. The cartoonist is addressing the issue of
profiling, which involves singling out people of
Middle Eastern descent (or those who look like
they might be) as possible terrorists. The cartoonist is pointing out that profiling could lead to
big mistakes! The cartoonist is not, however,
addressing terrorism per se, just the way the
Justice Department is dealing with the threat of
terrorism.
3. Cartoons will vary, but students' work
should show that they understand what profiling
is, and why it is problematic.
®
Activity Sheet 3
1. A middle-aged woman is scolding a man
who is wearing a gas mask and warning that the
sky is falling. The woman threatens to report the
man to the Homeland Security Director, only to
find that he is the Homeland Security Director.
2. You need to know that, in response to terrorist attacks in the United States, there is a new
Office of Homeland Security in the U.S. government. You also need to know that there has been
fear of biological and chemical weapons, and
that many Americans have been very frightened
by the terrorist attacks on September 11.
3. a. The protective clothing worn by the
character on the right is exaggerated. The words
on his sign are also an exaggeration.
b. The words on the sign symbolize the
tremendous fear many Americans have felt since
September 11.
c. The Homeland Safety Director is supposed
to help Americans feel safer. But his dramatic
warning of future terrorist attacks, as well as the
extent of his protective garb, provoke fear rather
than safety. It is also ironic that the middle-aged
woman—whom one might expect to be frightened—is the one urging calm.
4. The cartoonist is saying that the government officials whose job is to make Americans
safe are stirring up a great deal of fear. The cartoon mocks the contradiction, and perhaps says
that the Homeland Security Director should be
less dramatic in expressing his concerns about
possible future terrorist attacks.
For more information about the Newsweek Education Program, write us at
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visit our Web site: www.newsweekeducation.com
All the supplemental materials provided with the NEWSWEEK Education Program are for classroom use only. Any additional usage of these materials, including
placement online or in any computer database, may be made only after securing permission from the program.
Copyright © 2001 by NEWSWEEK, Inc.
Activity Sheet 1
Stem-Cell Research
This cartoon uses several techniques to make its point humorously. Using the questions to guide you, take a look at how they
operate.
1. A quick glance tells you that in order to understand the cartoon,
you need to know what stem cell research is, and what makes it
controversial. To find out, go to NEWSWEEK’S July 9, 2001 edition, available in libraries, or by searching articles’ titles on the
archive section of NEWSWEEK’S Web site,
www.newsweek.msnbc.com. (Note: There is a fee for using the
Web archives.) Read "Cellular Divide," (pages 22-27) which
explains stem cell research, "Battle for Bush's Soul," (pages 2830) which explains the difficult position in which the president
found himself, and "A Question of Life or Death," (page 31)
which explains the religious debate over stem cell research.
a. Give a brief definition of stem cells and stem cell research.
Mike Peters, Dayton Daily News—Reprinted with permission
b. Why is it controversial? What decision did George W. Bush have to make regarding stem cell research?
c. Why was it so difficult for him to take a stand on it?
2. Armed with your knowledge of the stem cell debate, turn your attention to the cartoon itself.
a. Political cartoons often use exaggeration to make a point. The cartoon exaggerates some of Bush's physical features. Which ones?
Why?
b. Symbolism is another method cartoonists use as a shorthand for expressing something that is central to the point they are making.
What is the symbolism of there being two President Bushes in the cartoon? Why is there an American flag on each side of him?
c. Political cartoons are often ironic; that is, they play on our expectations, presenting something that we never expected. The observer
in the cartoon says, "The perfect solution…We cloned him." What makes the statement ironic?
3. What point of view is the cartoonist expressing?
a2
[ ANALYZING POLITICAL CARTOONS ]
NEWSWEEK Education Program — Copyright © 2001 by NEWSWEEK, Inc.
Activity Sheet 2
The Problem With
Profiling
In the October 1 edition of NEWSWEEK, Sharon Begley
summed up the problem with profiling. "Here is why profiling is so alluring," she wrote. "Of the suspected skyjackers
responsible for upwards of 6,000 deaths on September 11, 19
out of 19 were Arab. And here is why profiling is anathema to
a just society: more than 3 million Arab-Americans live in the
United States. Even if the government's worst fears are correct
and 50 members of terror cells remain at large, that means that
more than 99.99 percent of Arab-Americans are no more connected to terrorism than is the dowager whose ancestors
arrived on the Mayflower." Use Begley's thoughts as background for work with this cartoon.
Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Constitution—Reprinted with permission
1. a. Look at the cartoon. Who are the people in the group on the right? What clues tell you who they are?
b. Who is "Ashcroft"? Why is there a uniformed man next to him?
c. Explain what "They look Middle Eastern. Detain them." means.
2. In your work on the first cartoon, you looked for exaggeration, symbolism, and irony.
a. Who and what is exaggerated in this cartoon? Why?
b. What symbols are used in the cartoon?
c. What is ironic about the cartoon?
d. What issue is the cartoonist addressing? What is his point of view?
e. Do you think the cartoon is effective? Why or why not?
3. Create another cartoon that addresses profiling.
[ ANALYZING POLITICAL CARTOONS ]
NEWSWEEK Education Program — Copyright © 2001 by NEWSWEEK, Inc.
3
Activity Sheet 3
Homeland Security
After September 11, the president announced the formation
of the Office of Homeland Security. This November 12,
2001 cartoon takes aim at it.
1. List the important details in the cartoon.
2. What do you need to know about current affairs to understand the cartoon?
Rob Rogers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette—Reprinted with permission
3. How does the cartoon employ each of the strategies you have been using?
a. exaggeration
b. symbolism
c. irony
4. What point do you think the cartoonist is trying to make? Do you find the cartoon funny? Why or why not?
5. Use NEWSWEEK’S political cartoon issue to find another cartoon that focuses on one of the issues you have looked at here: stem cell
research, profiling, or homeland security. Use your skills to analyze the cartoon you find. Present the cartoon and your analysis to the
class.
4
[ ANALYZING POLITICAL CARTOONS ]
NEWSWEEK Education Program — Copyright © 2001 by NEWSWEEK, Inc.