Analysing political cartoons - National Museum of Australia

Subject and styleThe subject of a cartoon is usually easily identifi able.However, the message is not always the same. Here arefour cartoons that deal with the same subject — thenews that the Australian Government would intervene inIndigenous communities where there were huge socialproblems. But the four are really very different.Compare the subject and style of the four, and thefi nal message each presents on this subject.Which of these cartoons do you think is the mosteffective? Explain your reasons.Dream time nightmare time, Michael Atchison, Adelaide Advertiser 26 June 2007The details’ll be along later, Geoff Pryor, Canberra Times 27 April 2007A basis for scepticism, Matt Golding, The Age 26 July 2007Symbolism or visual metaphorSymbolism is where an object is used torepresent something else. A visual metaphoris where an aspect of the cartoon makes apoint. In this cartoon, the cartoonist is usingsymbolism and visual metaphor to criticise thethen Prime Minister John Howard’s supposedpolicy of spending big to advertise his‘green’ policies, while really failing to createeffective policies about climate change.In this cartoon, what does the crown andthrone symbolise?What is the visual metaphor of the wave?Are they effective metaphors? Explainyour reasons.Hope 2000k, Peter Nicholson, The Australian 26 May 20074© 2008 National Museum of Australiaand Ryebuck Media Pty LtdI’m no Johhny-come-lately, Sean Leahy, Courier-Mail 30 May 2007