Political Cartoon Analysis
By: Jalaj Sood and Nidhish Lokesh AP English 3a
Impeachment Parade
Name and Date of Publication- Impeachment Parade, Jan 10, 1999
Subject- The subject is Bill Clinton’s presidency.
Context- This was set during the trial for Bill Clinton’s impeachment over a pre- presidential Whitewater land deal where the house was strongly for impeaching him.
Symbolism- The elephant is the symbol of the Republic party.
Exaggeration- It exaggerates the job of the senate trying to clean up all this mess caused by the House.
Labeling- The elephant is labeled as the House of Representatives, which has a majority of republicans. The sweeper is labeled as the majorly democratic senate.
Analogy- The comparison of the senate to an animal parade sweeper shows how they have to deal with this trial mess because the republican majority is clamoring for impeachment.
Irony- It is ironic that one branch of legislature has to clean up after the other.
Purpose- The purpose is to symbolize the impeachment proposal riding on the backs of the House while the senate tries to clean up its mess and acquit Clinton.
Mr. Stalin Revolutionizes The Drama
Name and Date of Publication- Mr. Stalin Revolutionizes The Drama, 1939 or 1940
Subject- The subject is Joseph Stalin and the Russo- Finish War.
Context- Russia and Finland were at war at the time and it was sparked when Finland refused to comply with Russian demands to take over some of their land and Stalin made it seem like Finland was the aggressor.
Symbolism- The cartoon symbolized Women vs. Men stereotypes in the period; women were more docile and were accused of doing things, while men were aggressive and subjugated women.
Exaggeration- The cartoon exaggerates Stalin’s dramatic flair when it comes to waging war against a country.
Labeling- The woman is labeled Finland and the big cowboy is labeled Russia.
Analogy- It makes Russia look guilty and aggressive as the cowboy grabs the innocent and harmless woman (Finland) and prepares to whip her.
Irony- It is ironic that big Russia soon has to fight World War II against its ally Germany and it doesn’t know yet.
Purpose- The purpose was to show that Russia Stalin was a bit unfair and aggressive in going to war with Finland over their refusal to give Russia certain lands.
Hare and Tortoise 2000
Name and Date of Publication- Hare and Tortoise 2000, June 18, 2000
Subject- The subject was the Presidential election of 2000 between Al Gore and Bush.
Context- After Bill Clinton finished his 2nd term there was a race from both the republicans and the democrats to see who could win the election. Al Gore represented the democrats and George W. Bush represented the Republicans.
Symbolism- The Aesop’s fable of the tortoise and the hare symbolized the moral that ought to be learned from the presidential election between these two candidates.
Exaggeration- Bush’s steady portrayal forward is most likely exaggerated to indicate he was steadier then Gore. It is highly likely that Bush hit many bumps along the way to becoming president.
Labeling- The tortoise is labeled as Bush because he steadily moving forward to the finish line while the hare is labeled Al Gore because he is constantly hopping around straying from the finish line.
Analogy- The tortoise and the hair analogy seems to predict a Bush victory in the elections as it shows what each of the candidates are doing in the presidential race.
Irony- The hare is much faster than the tortoise yet ultimately loses in the Aesop fable because of lollygagging around.
Purpose- The purpose is to show that politicians who don’t try to do too much and keep their goals straightforward are more likely to win the politicians who attempt too much and have no concrete goal.