Cartoons about Consumerism How to Read a Political Cartoon Political cartoons convey an opinion about a topic They are a type of persuasive communication Most political cartoons use humour for serious purposes: to make points about public figures, government decisions, or news events What symbols does the cartoon use? Cartoons use symbols, such as carefully chosen objects and people. To stand for ideas What situation does the cartoon show? Cartoons set up situations and exaggerate aspects of events to make points about issues Whats the message The message of the cartoon is the main idea or point the artist is communicating about an issue Creating Political Cartoons Cartoons should use wit and humour through exaggeration of people or events, but not just for comic effect They should have a foundation in truth and be based on facts Cartoons can be hand-drawn or electronically designed Creating Political Cartoons People are designed as caricatures where human features are exaggerated. People can also be depicted as animals Creating Political Cartoons Include symbols to help illustrate your theme. For example, uncle Sam = USA Creating Political Cartoons Colour, shading and size of objects can be used to emphasize a particular point Include speech balloons, labels or captions to help communicate your ideas