Political Cartoon Analysis

The cartoon refers to the political event of the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States in 2016. The key people targeted in the cartoon are supporters of Trump's presidency, as they are depicted below him in the cartoon as unified caricatures. They are not represented as individuals, but rather as a large entity that support him. Donald Trump is also depicted above the people in an exaggerated manner. His head is much larger than his body and he is twice the size of most of his supporters in the crowd, making him appear to be a more powerful figure. This portrayal places Trump in a negative light, as he appears as more of a joke than a figure to be taken seriously. The flags held by the people in the crowd could be seen as symbols of their political affiliation, affirming a unified mentality. The text on two flags display the year of the election, signifying an evident patriotic mentality held by the people in the crowd. The message of the cartoon is mobilized by this evident patriotism that is swayed by the allusion to a Martin Luther King Jr. speech, "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last." However, this famous quote is altered to read, "Greed at last" This allusion reveals that the artist is most likely trying to persuade the reader to feel enraged by the election results of 2016, as they promote the negative idea of greed. An enraged or annoyed reaction seems to be what the artist intended to trigger in the reader.

The method of exaggerated characters with allusion through which the artist uses, effectively help to convey a political message that is biased in opposition of Trump's administration. The use of irony and exaggeration also help to convey this message. There is irony in the words "Greed at last" which ironically contradict King's original message of "Free at last." It is ironic how King's words were spoken many decades ago, however, are being defied today by Trumps greed and denial of freedom. Exaggeration of Trump's features help to convey this meaning and message. His comedic portrayal instills a feeling of shame or hatred in the reader. The cartoon effectively conveys a political commentary on the election of Donald Trump in 2016 and the reaction that resulted in its wake.

Image Source:

DeSmet, Anna. Cartoon. The New York Times [New York City], 2015, www.nytimes.com/

     interactive/projects/gu/editorial-cartoon-contest-2015?module=inline.

     Accessed 11 Dec. 2018.