How to Analyze a Political Cartoon
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Transcript How to Analyze a Political Cartoon
SOAPSTone
S – Speaker
O – Occasion
A – Audience
P – Purpose
S – Subject
Tone
S - Speaker
Questions to ask yourself:
Who is the speaker/writer?
What details does he reveal?
Why is it important to know who the speaker is?
His profession, views, etc.
Occasion
How does your knowledge of the larger occasion and
the smaller occasion affect how we view and analyze
the text/cartoon? (This requires you to recall your
background knowledge)
Is there a smaller occasion? Perhaps a smaller event that
relates to this cartoon? Do you think that is what
inspired the artist to draw it?
Is there a larger occasion? Perhaps a general feeling in
the US that would lead the general public/people to
agree or disagree with the artist?
Audience
Who is the audience? What are their characteristics?
Think about where the piece may have been published.
How is the audience related to you as the
reader/viewer?
Why is the author addressing (writing for) this
audience?
Purpose
What does the author hope to accomplish by his
expression of his opinion? Is he trying to persuade the
general public in one way or another?
How should the audience respond?
How does the author WANT the audience to respond?
Subject
What message is the author trying to portray?
In other words, what is he trying to say?
What are his main ideas/arguments/points?
Tone
What attitude does the author want us to have about
imperialism?
Think about if you were living during this time, or think
about your ancestors – would this article influence them
to believe the author? Why/Why not?
How does the author’s attitude enhance the
effectiveness of his writing?
Think about what you are passionate about – are you
more likely or less likely to be able to communicate your
ideas and beliefs better or worse?
Acknowledgements
Duckart, Tracy. “Elements of Fiction: Point of View.”
The Cache. Humboldt State University, 18 Aug.
2007. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.
Morse, Ogden. “SOAPSTone: a Strategy for Reading
and Writing.” AP Central. College Board, 2012.
Web. 7 Oct. 2012.