Political Cartooning -

Students > Political Cartooning Printable Page


Political Cartooning

Based on a unit by Larry Woodson and Dr. Mary Stokrockie



On April 20 , 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, two students, walked nonchalantly into Columbine High School. Using guns and homemade bombs they killed twelve students and one teacher before committing suicide. The country was shocked. Television and newspapers reported the incident in detail, spending much time trying to discover why this happened. Steve Benson, the political cartoonist for the Arizona Republic, drew a cartoon. In a dark mansion, the son sits in front of his computer with a "bombs" message on it. He is in his upstairs room with a swastika on the wall. Downstairs his parents are seated on the couch reading. The Mother says, "Seen Junior lately?" Father, "Nope. Maybe up in his room. Pass me the remote. . ." and they continue to read and watch TV. This cartoon comments on current events, and tries to affect opinions.

Political cartoons are drawings representing current public figures or issues symbolically and often satirically. Satire is irony, sarcasm, or caustic (burning) wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity (The American Heritage Dictionary).

Benson's satire attacks the parents:

The symbols point to wealth (a big, castle like house), lack of communication between kids and their parents (the computer and TV), and the total disregard for others and the use of force (the swastika on the wall of the boy's room).

The ideas Benson is expressing is that parents are responsible for their kids and they should know what they are up to. They should do all that they can to guide their children to become healthy, contributing citizens of their community.

The audience response? Certainly some readers must have agreed that the parents were to blame for the shooting. Others may have felt that the problem was not that simple. But the readers of the Arizona Republic were touched by the cartoon.

Through political cartoons, artists use their skills to comment visually on the world around them. They use the cartoon as a tool to promote ideas. Art critics have created the label "functionalism" as a way to describe art that has a useful purpose, in this case, promoting social good.


© Sue Coe. Health Care.
Copper plate photo etching and aquatint, 1991.

Propaganda is also used to describe artists' use of their art to further their ideas, a particular cause, or to criticize an opposing view. Propagandistic art expresses one side of the issue. This does not mean that the artists are untruthful or deceitful; it only means that they are trying to further what they believe in the face of opposing viewpoints.

In Chapter 1 you will look at a political cartoon in context to see how the cartoon was affected by the time and place in which it was created and how it may have affected the citizens of that period. You will practice drawing a caricature, a figure that is exaggerated to create a comic effect. Chapter 2 will have you search the web for caricatures, and cartoons that function as propaganda. Finally, in Chapter 3 you will draw your own political cartoon. This work involves the three goals of the Arizona Standards: creating art, art in context, and art as inquiry.

There are several aids that will help you enjoy and learn as much as possible from the unit. Check out:

The questions. Write out your answers; discuss them with your classmates and friends as a way to deepen your appreciation of what you are viewing.

The quizzes and assignments. Download the forms and complete them. Hand all of this material to your teacher for his or her response.

The links to the definitions of art vocabulary words at http://artlex.com. At the site, use the left hand index and then scroll down to the specific word.

The links to sites with other helpful information and images.

Ben (Franklin)'s suggestions. He's got some pretty neat ideas.


Meet Ben, your guide.

Ben Franklin

Hi, my name is Ben and I will be your guide to political cartoons. You may think that cartooning is just something to laugh about, but don't be fooled. Political cartoons are very powerful tools of persuasion.