Visual Argument Evaluation

Visual Argumentation

Gary McCoy 's Political Cartoon

Introduction

The election fever has once again struck the land . Now more than ever nationwide attention has started to zero in - quite lopsidedly in fact - on key political figures such as Barack Obama and John McCain . The two have been landing in major news headlines , as well as figuring in major media outfits as they try hard to convey their respective political programs to the public . As expected , they too - as indeed their proposed policies - have been subjected to a numberless of analyses

, if not criticisms from all fronts from television to radio shows , news magazines to dailies , as well as in various rallies and party conventions . One potent example of such analyses or criticisms is an editorial cartoon . Despite being just a single drawing about certain persons or issues , it nevertheless conveys powerful statements . For this , it would be wise to take Gary McCoy 's political cartoon specifically depicting Barack Obama , as a specific example to concretely cite the case in point

Gary McCoy 's Caricature of Barack Obama

It has to be firstly mentioned that the strength of an editorial cartoon lies in its ability to both convey the message hidden in the scene it portrays and engender an opinion about someone or something prominent in the news (Cartoon 217 . But any evaluation of a political cartoon would also have to make a factual of the piece as it is drawn - i .e , a of the cartoon as it appears . This entails suspending inherent biases , immediate judgments or initial impressions that one may already develop at the first sight of the cartoon

Gary McCoy 's caricature of Barack Obama portrays the politician while giving a speech . Therein , Obama 's face is visibly elongated his forehead and chin thinly protruding . His right hand holds a microphone while his left hand is raised and points - that is , using his point finger - on to his supposed audience . Atop Obama is a speech-balloon which reads : Random noun , miscellaneous verbs , blah , blah , Hope Change . Two creatures that appear to be kangaroos donned in coat and tie are portrayed talking to each other down the left corner . The creature to the right talks to his companion with the words : This is getting easier by the minute . While another balloon referenced to Barack 's supposed audience reads : Cheer ! Applause ! Yeaa ! Cheer Applause ' The audience is depicted nowhere in the cartoon

It seems needless to argue that the cartoon is effective in conveying its message to its audience . This is because at first sight , one can already glean from the cartoon the central argument which it carries that it is a criticism of Barack Obama in the first place , and the entire political system of the United States along the same vein . First it is evident that McCoy makes a statement against Barack Obama . It can be specifically against his political strategy or the direction into which his campaign particularly treads . As indeed , the criticism can...