How do you analyze a political cartoon?


Decide if it is making fun of something or supporting something
Read the caption
See who/ what it is about
Who drew it
What are they known for drawing about
What is the point of it
What is going on in the world today that it would be about if it is new


What do you notice first is not something I wrote along with letting your eyes "float" across the page so that you don't analyze everything and miss the point
Look for details and symbols.

I will look at cartoons like I was before but now I will not analyze everything.


This cartoon is about america helping the islands in the Caribbean.

Uncle Sam feels like he must take car of all of these small islands and they do not want it.
America thinks they are making a mess and they have to clean it up. The Philippines and Porto Rico are not as hard to control as Cuba and Hawaii because they are not as big. The cartoon makes it look like America is doing these islands a favor because with out us there is no way they could survive.



This cartoon is about America taking over the islands in the Caribbean.

America "Uncle Sam" is trying to "fish" the islands in. America wants their sugar and a place to take their ships when they are crossing the ocean. The islands are out in the ocean waiting to be taken over. The cartoon even makes the islands look like fish on hooks.



This cartoon is about America helping Porto Rico.

This image is about what america can offer to Porto Rico. Uncle Sam is offering him cloths, Porto Rico does not realize the catches that come with the clothes. The cartoon also makes Porto Rico look like a small naive boy with nothing, and it makes America look like a wise old man nicely dressed offering a helping hand.