Malta's leading newspapers have their fair share of political cartoons and caricatures, week in and week out. I make it a point not to miss out on any one of them. Why? Just as much as they can be amusing, they can be persuasive. A good political cartoon can also make you think about current events, but it also tries to sway your opinion towards the cartoonist's point of view. The best political cartoonist can change your mind on an issue without you even realising how he or she did it.
Political cartoons are often very funny, especially if you understand the issue that they are commenting on. Cartoonists use several methods, or techniques, to get their point across. Not every cartoon includes all of these techniques, but most political cartoons include at least a few. Some of the techniques cartoonists use the most are symbolism, exaggeration, labelling, analogy, and irony. Once you learn to spot these techniques, you will be able to see the cartoonist's point more clearly.
I try to be aware of any political slant or bias that he or she might have. When I know where the cartoonist is coming from, it is easier for me to make up my own mind. Cartoonists use simple objects, or symbols, to stand for larger concepts or ideas. After I identify the symbols in a cartoon, I always think about what the cartoonist intends each symbol to stand for.
Sometimes cartoonists overdo, or exaggerate, the physical characteristics of our politicians or things in order to make a point. When I study a cartoon, I look for any characteristics that seem overdone or overblown. (Facial characteristics and clothing are some of the most commonly exaggerated characteristics.) Then, I try to decide what point the cartoonist was trying to make through exaggeration.
Political cartoons are an integral component of the framework of political journalism. They offer a brightly coloured alternative to formal news reporting, providing light relief from the ever-increasingly gloomy political discourse. With the ability to distil news and opinion into a caricature, cartoons present accessible and instant commentary and analysis of current affairs.
Cartoons are a unique form of journalism that contrasts with conventional forms of communication. The images can cast a powerful interpretation on the day's news. They explain and explore stories in ways that articles cannot. More effective than writing or video, they capture the imitable human nature of their subjects in order to humanise the topic they depict.
The great thing about a political cartoon is that it sums up the state of play at any moment in politics. It is clever, funny, amusing, and informs and entertains us. It does all the things in one drawing that a newspaper does throughout all of its pages. Often, long after you have forgotten the details of the story, it is its images that sum up the mood of the times.
Cartoons not only act as news sources, but they can also be a historical record of the political climate. In a time when journalism is constantly evolving, political cartoons have remained a timeless method of political commentary. Particularly in a time of tremendous media output, the ability of cartoons to communicate a compelling and comprehensive message has undisputedly stood the test of time.
Their subject matter is usually that of current and newsworthy political issues, and, in order for them to be understood, they require that readers possess some basic background knowledge about their subject matter, ideally that provided by the medium in which they are published. The cartoonist must keep in mind whether readers will be able to understand the editorial cartoon. When successful, political cartoons can fulfil an important criticising and controlling function in society. In addition, political cartoons can encourage the process of opinion formation and decision-making as well as provide entertaining perspectives on the news.
Political cartoons are frequently made by artists to express their frustration with certain issues, politicians, and sometimes even the public as a whole. What initially appears to be a simply humorous cartoon is actually so much more. Political cartoonists use their skills to praise, attack, caricature, lampoon, and otherwise express their opinions on the most urgent political issues of the day. Analysing a political cartoon can lead to a deeper understanding of the issues addressed by the cartoon as well as the historical context from which the issues arose. However, it can also raise interesting questions about the point of view of the cartoonist and shed light on the methods different cartoonists use to persuade their readers.
Cartoonists have a big influence on the way different groups of people look at each other. They can encourage us to look critically at ourselves and increase our empathy for the sufferings and frustrations of others. But they can also do the opposite. They have, in short, a big responsibility. They immediately stimulate discussion and, more importantly, debate. They offer a view or a perspective, most often one that is probing, challenging, or controversial. As such, political cartoons can contribute to one of education's core objectives: the building of critical thinking.
They make us stop and think again about an issue. They help us look at a topic 'sideways' or from a different angle. They help us explore our own and others' 'thinking' about an issue. Above all, they help us laugh at ourselves together.
I will not go so far as to state that political cartoons and caricatures can threaten a regime's legitimacy by making it the subject of ridicule in so far as they cover a wide array of issues, including foreign policy, domestic politics, and social and cultural concerns. The artwork of political cartoonists reveals a complicated political narrative that cannot be neatly packaged as either state propaganda or grassroots resistance.
The unique characteristics of cartoons enable political cartoonists to formulate strategic criticisms that challenge hegemonic ideas without necessarily crossing clear red lines.