Political Cartoons
By: Katie Krebs and Kristyn Schott
The Pre-Primary Vote
Published: June 11, 1999
Subject: What the pre-primary vote is all about
Context: Published in time for the upcoming 2000 elections
Symbolism: The money symbolizes the ballot to show just how much money has an influence over the presidential elections.
Irony: The presidential elections are heavily influenced by money when they actually should be over the strength and goodness of the candidates and the people's choice.
Purpose: To show how much money really influences the presidential elections.
"Isn't this what we really want?"
Published: 1939
Subject: Neutrality Act of 1935 and what people want/expect from it
Context: During the Neutrality Act of 1935 there were conflicts between the self-imposed restrictions and National Interests
Personification: The "act" is personified as a human who can do human things such as wash the dishes and kick out the dictator
Irony: Act is expected to protect us and fix all problems, but it can't do that.
Exaggeration: People want this "perfect" act that can do it all politically and economically, and that is not possible. The author shows that what the people want can't happen by exaggerating the fact that the perfect act can do the dishes and scrub the floors when it really can't because it is not human.
Purpose: To tell the people who want that perfect act, it's just not possible to have it all, like they want.
Little Goldilocks Riding Hood
Published: 1939
Subject: The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact and what it all includes
Context: The Non-Aggression Pact was just signed and the repercussions of it were occurring.
Symbolism: Big Bad Wolf as Nazi Germany and the Hungry Bear as Soviet Russia because they are the evil ones in this situation just like in their stories and Goldilocks/ Riding Hood symbolizes Poland because in both stories the girl is the frightened one like Poland.
Labeling: The girl is labeled as Poland, the wolf as Germany and the bear as Russia.
Analogy: The stories of Riding Hood and Goldilocks is like this situation of the Pact because in both situations one is scared and threatened by another bigger, evil source.
Purpose: To show the strength of the Pact created and how it effected Poland and Germany and Russia.