Political Cartoons Webquest

Political Cartoons are often used to show opinions about public issues and officials. You can find them in the pages of newspapers around the world, current event magazines such as Time or Newsweek, and even elementary school textbooks; they appeal to all levels of readers.  Cartoonists have a special creative skill that often combines caricatures (exaggerations of people), symbols, satire (poking fun), and knowledge of issues.  Often the full meaning of the cartoon is rather complex.  That means that someone who just glances at them might miss the point.  If you want to really understand the cartoon you need to know more about what kinds of things cartoonists put into their pictures,  some idea of the historical events of the time, and, of course, your best tool, your brain.

Comics Vs. Political Cartoons

     There is a difference between the "Sunday funnies" and political cartoons. Remember, a political cartoon is used to communicate about a public issue or official. Its main purpose is to give the artist's opinion about a topic and requires knowledge about current events and history for the reader to get an understanding.

     A comic is generally supposed to be funny and could be written about anything.  It doesn't even have to pertain to an important issue, just something that the reader may possibly relate to. A comic may not communicate a public issue but still has a message behind it. They are usually easy to understand, not because they use elementary language but because they communicate things that most readers know about.

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