Visual features:

- Caricature: Exaggerated or distorted representations of political figures, often emphasizing their

distinctive features or personality traits.
- Symbols and Icons: Symbols or visual metaphors used to represent political concepts, ideologies, or
events. For example, a donkey and an elephant representing the Democratic and Republican parties
in the United States.
- Text Captions, speech bubbles, or labels used to convey additional commentary or dialogue within
the cartoon.
- Background Details: Details in the background of the cartoon that provide context or additional
commentary on the main subject matter.
- Props and Objects: Objects or items included in the cartoon to represent specific issues, policies, or
events related to the political topic being addressed.
- Setting: The setting or environment depicted in the cartoon, which may help to establish the context
or mood of the cartoon.
- Emotional Expression: Body language, or gestures used to convey the emotions or attitudes of the
depicted individuals.
- Composition: The arrangement of elements within the cartoon, including the placement of
characters, objects, and text, which can influence the interpretation of the cartoon's message.(The
"Z-effect", rule of thirds, leading lines, Visual hierarchy, scale and proportion etc.)
 Visual features:
- Color Palette:The use of color to evoke certain emotions, highlight important elements, or create visual
interest within the cartoon.
- Visual Satire: Humorous or satirical elements incorporated into the visual design of the cartoon to convey
criticism, irony, or wit regarding political issues or figures.
- Stereotypes: Stereotyping refers to forming a quick, superficial image of a group of people which is usually
based on false or incomplete information. There are stereotypes of men, women, boys, girls, older people,
teenagers, occupations, as well as national and ethnic groups. Stereotyping implies a value judgement about
a person or group and, because it can give a limited or over-simplistic view of people, it is generally seen as
undesirable. However, in cartoons stereotyping is often used so that we can identify types of characters
quickly because it makes them easy to recognise.
- Facial expressions: Faces can be portrayed in different ways. Some depict an actual person, like a portrait;
others are iconic, which means they are representative of an idea or a group of people.Other points to observe
about faces include: They can be dramatic when placed against a detailed backdrop; a bright white face stands
out. They can be drawn without much expression or detail; this is called an “open blank” and it invites the
audience to imagine what the character is feeling without telling them.
- Hands/Feet: The positioning of hands and feet can be used to express what is happening in the story. For
example, hands that are raised with palms out suggest surprise. The wringing of hands suggests obsequiousness
or discomfort. Hands over the mouth depict fear, shame, or shyness. Turned in feet may denote embarrassment,
while feet with motion strokes can create the sense of panic, urgency, or speed.
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 Language features:
- Captions and Speech: Text accompanying the cartoon that provides additional commentary, dialogue, or explanation
of the depicted scene.
- Puns and Wordplay:Clever use of language, including puns, wordplay, and double entendres, to convey humor or
make a point about a political issue.
- Slogans and Catchphrases:Short, memorable phrases or slogans used to emphasize a particular message or
viewpoint within the cartoon.
- Alliteration and Assonance: : Repetition of consonant sounds (alliteration) or vowel sounds (assonance) for
emphasis or rhetorical effect.
- Irony and Satire: The use of irony, sarcasm, or satire to criticize or mock political figures, events, or ideologies.
- Exaggeration: exaggeration and Hyperbole: Deliberate exaggeration or hyperbole used to emphasize certain aspects
of a political issue or to make a point more forcefully.
- Quotations and References: Direct quotations or references to speeches, literature, historical events, or popular
culture, which add depth and context to the cartoon's message.
- Labeling and Naming: The use of labels or names to identify specific individuals, groups, or objects within the
cartoon, often with humorous or satirical intent.
- Rhetorical Questions: Questions posed within the cartoon to provoke thought or highlight contradictions in political
arguments or actions.
- Analogy:: A comparison between two unlike things that share some characteristics.
- Captioning and Labels: Captioning and Labels: Used for clarity and emphasis.
 Key vocabulary:
- Frame: The lines and borders that contain the panels.
- Foreground: The panel closest to the viewer.
- Midground: Allows centering of image by using natural resting place for vision. The
artist deliberately decides to place the image where a viewer would be most likely to
look first. Placing an image off-center or near the top or bottom can be used to
create visual tension but using the midground permits the artist to create a more
readily accepted image.
- Background: Provides additional, subtextual information for the reader.
- Graphic weight: A term that describes the way some images draw the eye more than
others, creating a definite focus using color and shading in various ways including:
1. The use of light and dark shades; dark-toned images or high-contrast
images draw the eye more than light or low-contrast images.
2. A pattern or repeated series of marks.
3. Colors that are more brilliant or deeper than others on the page.
 Key vocabulary:
- Negative space: The areas between and around objects. Areas that - if we notice them
at all - we tend to think of as empty.
- Bleed: An image that extends to and/or beyond the edge of the page.
- Emanata: Lines and squiggles that emanate (originate) from a cartoon character or
object to indicate movement or any of a variety of states of being.
- Punchline: Oftentimes the final line of the cartoon, this sentence or phrase is the
lasting joke or message that makes the reader smile/laugh. This line is often
somewhat ironic and cements the meaning of the cartoon.
- Symbolism: An image or object that represents a larger and more abstract idea
- Exaggeration: In cartoons, artists often stretch the truth, hyperbolize, and create
caricatures to emphasize key ideas or attributes with respect to the main claim.
Use your thinking skills to annotate.
Success criteria:
Focus on the Big 5

1. Audience/Purpose
Who does the text target?
What does the author hope to achieve through the text?
2. Content/Theme
What is literally “happening” in the text?
What is it about?
What are the main ideas of the text?
3. Tone/Mood
What is the author’s attitude towards the subject (what is the atmosphere
of the text)?
How does the text make you and/or the target audience feel?
4. Stylistic Devices
How does the author use language to convey a sentiment or message?
5. Structure
How is the text organized literally (layout and formatting)?
What kinds of structural elements of a particular text type do you see? Challenge? What global issue/ field

Need help? Refer to the help sheet. of inquiry can you link this text to?
Audience/purpose:

● Who does the text target? (audience)

● What does the author wish to achieve through the text? (purpose)

Content:

● What is literally “happening” in the text?

● What is it about?
● What are the main ideas of the text?
● What conflict is evident in the text?
● Who are the characters/people in the text?

Tone & Mood

● What is the author’s attitude (tone) towards the subject?

● How might the setting contribute to the tone?
● How does this article make the audience feel?

Stylistic devices

● How does the author use language and visual techniques to convey a
sentiment or message?

Structure:

● How is the text organized literally (layout and formatting)?

● What kinds of structural elements of particular text type do you see?

Challenge: