Samuel Tung paper 1

Thesis: The charlotte news and observers uses Text and image to cause a separation in society, as

they differentiate the vaccinated population to the unvaccinated.

One needle makes the difference between become a winner or a loser, which one would you

choose. A political cartoon published by the charlotte news and observers in 2021, raised a

argument for the people of North Carolina, as they show a side by side cartoon of two similar, yet

contrasting parties. This political cartoon is aim for the unvaccinated portion on the population in

hopes of convincing them to get the vaccine. The charlotte news and observers uses Text and image

to cause a separation in society as they differentiate the vaccinated population to the unvaccinated,

thus convincing the reader to get vaccinated.

The separation of the population starts with the two key words, "WINNER" and "LOSER".

As a successful businessman stands on the right holding a circle with "WINNER" printed on top of

it. In contrast the man on the left is holding a virus with "LOSER" printed on. The unvaccinated

want to be like him, to become a winner. Instead the unvaccinated are represented as a grim reaper

on the right, dead and a loser. The charlotte news and observers demonstrates juxtaposition to create

a prejudice within the peoples mind that they are inherently different by uplifting the vaccinated and

negatively shame the unvaccinated. Further more once a difference is established the word

"LOSER" pushes guilt into readers who are the unvaccinated and forces the thought of getting

vaccinated to get rig of that label. A "LOSER" is normally connected with a Inferior status,

someone of the weak, that can't survive on their own. More over the Grim reaper represent a

cultural allusion of death, no one wants to see him nor they want to become him. This negative

connotation is causing a incentives in the community. Using the text"WINNER" and "LOSER" and

juxtaposing the business man to the grim reaper create two opposing sides and creates a argument

that the two parties are not the same, pushing the unvaccinated to eventually getting the vaccination.
 Moving on, the use of contrasting colors also creates a separation in the population. The use

of bright colors such as yellow and orange adds a positive connotation of life and success to the

"winner" on the right. Yet the "loser" on the left is black and white which connects to ideas of death

and emptiness. The charlotte news and observers uses contrast in color to further separates the two

parties and making one better than the other. This lack of color and or life will evoke the want to get

vaccinated, to leave this monochromatic side and into the successful bright color, that brings people

to life.

Lastly, the use of of the word "lottery" on the left and the absence of lottery on the right

emphasize the inherent difference between two parties. Lottery is usefully connected to the award

and success, it bring a sense of joy to people. But the absence of this word when it's for the

unvaccinated creates a bias in the audience. The charlotte news and observers uses bias to create a

unbalance in the emotions to convey their argument for general public. This further accentuate how

the two parties view each other, causing a social disconnect.

In conclusion, this political comic by The charlotte news and observers uses text and image

to communicate the message that the vaccinated population is different than the unvaccinated parts

of the population, in the means of getting more people to get vaccinated. As Covid-19 becomes a

regular norm in society, is it worth dying for something like the flu? But is the means of achieving

full vaccination discriminating the people that are not?