This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.

What is the message of this cartoon?

To do this question, you need first to borrow two concepts from English:

Denotation

(what you see)

Connotation

(how it affects its audience)

This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.

Denotation

Chamberlain, going head-to head with Mars, the God of War, in front of a map of Europe.

Connotation

His stance is assertive, forceful, determined.

Meaning

Chamberlain has heroically saved the Europe from war.

This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.

Denotation

Mars stares back – but he nothing.

does

Connotation

Mars is angry, but ultimately he is powerless in the face of Chamberlain’s determination.

Meaning

Chamberlain stopped a war when it looked like it was unavoidable.

This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.

Denotation

Mars has weapons; all Chamberlain has is a hat and umbrella.

Connotation

The hat and umbrella are very ‘English’ – very ‘ordinary’.

Meaning

Chamberlain has achieved peace, not by force, but by his great personal moral authority.

This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.

Denotation

Chamberlain is on the right.

Connotation

‘On the right’ has connotations of righteousness‘/ being in the right’.

Meaning

Chamberlain was justified in doing what he did (appeasing Hitler).

This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.

Finally, always remember to look at:

Origin

(who drew it)

Date

(when it was published)

This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.

Date

3 October 1938.

Details

Just after the Munich Agreement – which avoided war over the Sudetenland.

Significance

The cartoonist is reflecting the initial reactions of the British to the Munich peace agreement.

This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.

Origin

The British cartoonist Sidney ‘George’ Strube.

Details

Strube was not hostile to appeasement – he thought Hitler was ridiculous, not dangerous.

Significance

Strube is praising Chamberlain for avoiding war, showing him as the man who saved Europe.

This cartoon by the British cartoonist Sidney 'George' Strube appeared in the

Daily Express

on 3 October 1938. It shows Chamberlain, on the right, with Mars – the God of War.