C A R T O O N S

STEPS AND
PHRASES
Step 1: INTRODUCTION (1)
• basic information and first impression of the cartoon

• useful phrases:
• The cartoon was published in … (year/source)
• The cartoon was drawn by … (artist)
• The cartoon is about … (topic)
• The cartoon is … (first impression – humorous, eye-catching, funny…)
Step 1: INTRODUCTION (2)
• helpful questions:

Where is the picture from?

Who made it and when?
What type of picture is it?
What does it (roughly) show?
Step 2: Description (1)
• what can be seen  describe it systematically (don‘t forget details)

• useful phrases – describing positions:

• in the middle/centre…
• at the top/bottom…
• on the left/right…
• in the top right-hand corner…
• in the bottom left-hand corner…
• in the foreground/background…
Step 2: DESCRIPTION (2)
• useful phrases:
• The illustration shows…
• There is a caption under/below the cartoon, which says “…“.
• The drawing is detailed/clear/abstract…

• when describing what people are doing in a picture, always use the
present progressive

• more phrases  book p. 120 (1. Beschreibung des Bildes)

Step 3: ANALYSIS
• = interpretation  what‘s the message?

• useful phrases:
• The cartoonist is satirising/is making fun of…
• The cartoon is (supposed to be) funny because of the misunderstanding
between…
•  book p. 120 (2. Interpretation)
Step 4: EVALUATION
• =Does the cartoon have the intended effect?

• useful phrases:
• I think/don‘t think the cartoon is very funny because…
• I get/I don‘t get the joke/point.
• I think/I don‘t think the cartoon is easy to understand because…
• I agree/I don‘t agree with the point the cartoonist is making because…
•  book p. 120 (3. Stellungnahme, Beschreibung der Wirkung)