Propaganda and Political Cartoons

How can art be used to sway one’s opinions?

Key Term Propaganda- information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

 Propaganda is commonly used by the media.  The media uses propaganda to publicize a certain issue.  The media can take two sides, a positive or negative side.  For example, if the U.S. wants to go to war with the Germans, the media will make the U.S. soldiers look like heroes and the German soldiers look barbaric.

 When the media does this, it is often analyzed as a political cartoon.  The artists displays their views through the use of images with words in the cartoon.  The picture may have a caption or two to clarify what the author is trying to state.  Artists who make these propaganda images often blow them out of proportion by favoring one side over the other.

Key Term Political Cartoon- illustrations or comic strips containing a political or social message that usually relates to current events or personalities.

 Certain political cartoons are straight forward and direct.  Political cartoons have been around for centuries.  The most daring of people who spoke their mind without liberties or freedoms created political cartoons since the 1600's.

 Propaganda is designed to persuade.  Its purpose is to influence your opinions, emotions, attitudes, or behavior.  It seeks to “guide your choice.”

 Military  Media  Advertisers  Politicians

 Bandwagon  Name-calling  Testimonial  Glittering Generality  Plain-folks appeal  Transfer Emotional words  Faulty Reasoning  Fear

 Everybody is doing this.  If you want to fit in, you need to “jump on the bandwagon” and do it too.  The implication is that you must JOIN in to FIT in.

 A negative word or feeling is attached to an idea, product, or person.  If that word or feeling goes along with that person or idea, the implication is that we shouldn’t be interested in it.

 A famous person endorses an idea, a product, a candidate.  If someone famous uses this product, believes this idea, or supports this candidate, so should we.

A commonly admired virtue is used to inspire positive feelings for a person, idea, or product. Words like truth, democracy, beauty, timeless are examples of those general terms.

 This idea, product, or person is associated with normal, everyday people and activities.

 Symbols, quotes, or images of famous people are used to convey a message.  The message may not necessarily be associated with them.

 Words that leave us with positive or negative feelings are used to describe a product, person, or idea.  We associate those words and, therefore, those feelings with the product.

 Factual supporting details are used though they do not support the conclusion. It works like this:  Christians believe in God.  Muslims believe in God.  Christians are Muslims.

 Our fears are displayed.  Ideas, candidates, or products are shown to put our fears to rest.

Video: The Making Of an Editorial Cartoon