How to analyse a cartoon

1. Introduction
• source
• one-sentence summary of topic
(e.g. The cartoon by Paul Thomas from The Express
relates to / portrays / illustrates / shows the 'Occupy London'
anti-capitalist protest that has closed St Paul’s Cathedral.)

2. Description
• Who / what is depicted?
• What are the people doing?
• What characteristics or qualities are highlighted or exaggerated in the drawing? (how)
• What is the setting? (where)
• Does it depict a particular event/process? (when)
(e.g. In the cartoon/drawing/..., we can identify/see/make out...)

3. Interpretation
3.1 Context
• What is the historical / geographical / current news etc. context?
• Who are the addressees? (was it drawn for a specific group of people?)
• What impression does/did it make (on the addressees / on us)?
3.2 Means used to express the cartoonist’s intention:
• caption (its significance and how it relates to the drawing)
• symbolism
• exaggeration
• irony
• contrast
• …
3.3 Central message
• What central message does the cartoonist want to get across?
• What is the cartoonist’s intention?
• What is your own opinion on the cartoon and its message?

(e.g. The labelling makes clear that the ... represents/stands for ... / The message of the
cartoon is ... / I think the cartoon intends/wants to make clear/say that... /
The cartoon criticises ... by poking fun at/ ridiculing ...)

Advice for exams

o In an exam the interpretation part will receive more credits than the description!
o In English exams you are supposed to write around 250 words so you need to focus on the
really significant elements of description. Before you start writing your analysis make an
outline and list all the points of description – then choose the most important ones for your
text!!