Cartoons

An Introduction:
 What is a Cartoon?

▪ A cartoon is usually a humorous drawn picture of a

situation, well-known personality or story.
▪ Cartoons are used to express ideas or to draw
attention to a situation or a well-known personality.
▪ They often highlight a current social or political issue.
 When Analysing a Cartoon:

▪ Characters: Are they stereotypes or caricatures?

▪ Background & Setting: Where & when is the scene taking place?
▪ Language: Is formal /informal register used? How are the sentences structured?
▪ Punctuation: used to portray emotions.
▪ Actions: Look at facial expressions and symbols or lines used to portray movement/emotion.
▪ Objectives: Is the aim to inform, educate or entertain?
 Stereotype:

▪ This is a fixed, exaggerated and

preconceived description of a specific
type of person, group or nation.
▪ For example, the Italians are said to be
emotional and the British cold.
 Caricature:

▪ This is a drawing in which a person

or action is shown with exaggerated
features.
▪ Features are exaggerated to help
with identification or to ridicule.
When Analysing a Cartoon:

Smile = happy
 Jagged speech The asterisk
bubble, bold print and indicates
Words in question/exclamation confusion or a
bold = loud marks indicate thought process.
shouting.

Smile = happy

Mom is hysterical: Blank expression Hands on

Smile = happy wide open eyes and emphasises head =
mouth. confusion despair!
 When Analysing a Cartoon:

▪ A cartoon can be a series of frames or a single frame.

▪ Movement is indicated by vertical, curved and
diagonal lines.
▪ Speedy action is indicated by streaky lines or the
action leaving the frame.
▪ Fonts are also changed for emphasis.
 Frame:

▪ The “border” around

the picture, to create
an area in which the
action happens.
▪ It is not always
necessary to have a
frame, usually if one
is omitted it is to
show that the action
is not restricted.
 Commenting on Cartoons:

▪ All answers should be substantiated with close reference to the cartoon.

▪ Pay careful attention to the body language of the characters and refer to visible
features.
▪ Remember that cartoons make use of puns, satire, sarcasm and irony that need
to be explained by referring to the cartoon.
You will NEVER be awarded marks for saying “facial expression” or
“body language” without discussing the details of these visual clues.
 Shows she has
moved away

Emotions?
Evidence?
Look at
expression
and font
Setting?
Teacher appears tired and
hopeless by:
lines under eyes
half-opened eyes
Issue – Ground
reformation process in
Zimbabwe

Teacher is caricatured by
her glasses and neat dress.

Learner’s innocence is
portrayed with wide open
eyes and cute hairstyle.
 Satire:

▪ Sharp wit, irony

or sarcasm used
to highlight,
expose or
ridicule human,
social or political
weaknesses.
Satire is topical
 Irony:

▪ Implies the
opposite of what is
said.
 Sarcasm:

▪ Similar to irony,
when one thing is
said but another
meaning is intended
or interrupted.
▪ Sarcasm is always
intentionally done.
 Pun:

▪ A play on words. They sound the same but

have a different meaning.
 PARODY
A parody is a work created to imitate, make fun of, or
comment on an original work - its subject, author, style, or
some other target - by means of satiric or ironic imitation.
2.1 What fairy tale is the father reading to his child? (1)
2.2 List three visual clues (not text) that show the father’s
anger. (3)
2.3 What is the child’s reaction to the father’s anger? (1)
2.4 Explain the reasoning for your answer for question 2.3. (2)
2.4. Why is the father actually so angry? (1)
2.5 Do you think that this is a serious cartoon?
Explain your answer. (2)