Option #1: Analysis of an Individual Comic Strip or Political Cartoon

Choose one comic strip or political cartoon. If you visit the website of a newspaper such as the Baltimore Sun, The New York Times, The Washington Post, etc., you should be able to search for comic strips or political cartoons easily. You can also choose a webcomic too.

Which techniques does the creator of the comic strip use? How does the creator make his/her point in the comic strip? What do we learn about the characters and/or ourselves from this comic strip or political cartoon? If colors are available, what do they tell us about this comic or cartoon? What language is used and how can that be interpreted? What is the layout of the comic?

For example, how do elements of imagery, symbolism, metaphor, and/or irony help reveal the cartoon’s message?

In essence, what are some of the physical elements present in the cartoon—characters, text, colors, etc., along with figurative elements such as metaphor and symbolism, that help to explain the cartoon’s message? It can be helpful to focus on a single element in the cartoon in its own body paragraph (include the element in the topic sentence and in the thesis) and describe how it portrays the cartoon’s message before moving to the next cartoon feature in a new paragraph. 

As with all academic essays you write in this course, this essay should have a well-defined introduction with a thesis statement, body, and conclusion. 

Example Thesis Statement: “John Smith uses (add one element from the cartoon), (add a second element from the cartoon), and (add a third element from the cartoon) to show (add the cartoon’s message).”