Stage 1 History Teaching and Learning Strategies

How to Analyse a Cartoon

Cartoons are drawings that use single pictures of well-known people or events in caricature. They
exaggerate the personal and physical features to make a comical or satirical point. The situations
shown in cartoons may be based on political, economic, or social themes.
Note: Original cartoons have been removed for copyright reasons. Teachers should use the
internet or print resources to source appropriate cartoons.

Guidelines to assist with cartoon analysis

1. Always note the date carefully. It may be a useful clue in relating the caricature to a
specific historical event.
2. Try to identify the main figure in the cartoon. Get to know the attributes of key
personalities that are usually caricatured, for example, Mussolini’s chin, Seddon’s chest.
The caption may help you with identification.
3. Ask yourself what is happening in the cartoon. Examine the expressions of the participants.
Are they happy, angry, sad, and so on?
4. Examine symbols and objects carefully. You should become familiar with national
symbols, such as the British lion, the German eagle, and the Russian bear. You should also
be on the lookout for things that typically symbolise ideas, such as a dove or olive branch
for peace, a snake for deception, a woman for Europe, a crocodile for false emotion, and so
on.
5. Read the title and the caption very carefully. They should indicate to you something about
the cartoonist’s attitude to the people and events shown. Ask yourself about the cartoonist’s
point of view. Is it critical of a particular policy, sympathetic to a particular group, and so
on.
6. Get as much practice at cartoon interpretation as you can. The more cartoons you have
seen, the more easily you will recognise symbols and people. Practice will also make you
familiar with the style of famous cartoonists, such as David Low, Eric Heath, and Peter
Nicholson. This will help you to determine the cartoonist’s attitude to his or her subject.
7. Refer back to the current History Curriculum Statement and re-read the section related to
historical skills.
8. Become familiar with the types of questions your teacher or examiner asks about cartoons.
For example: What date did this cartoon appear? Identify the key figures in this cartoon. To
what piece of legislation/ event does this cartoon refer? What is the cartoonist’s attitude to
this event? Give evidence to support your answer.

Examples of cartoons
Look at the cartoon below of Mussolini, which shows the way that his physical attributes are
deliberately over-emphasised to make a humorous or ironical point. Using the dates, determine what
the artist is trying to get over to his audience.
[Cartoon: Sad Tale of a Punctured Chin, by David Low]
The next example, of Adolf Hitler, shows the sort of analysis that you need to make when you are
interpreting cartoons:
[Cartoon: All Blown Up and Nowhere to Go’, by David Low]
Date – Hitler just to power in Germany.
Blimp represents Hitler – self-important, too big for his boots, etc.
Name of ‘Hanger’ – indicates cartoonist’s attitude to Hitler?
Hitler again – note uniform. Blowing up his image – with propaganda, etc? Cartoonist’s attitude?
Attitude – has no real policy but himself? All brag and no action?
Caption – where might he go? Prophetic – will soon be so blown up he will invade Europe?
SSABSA Support Materials: 41405488.doc, last updated 15 July 2007 page 1 of 2
Represents poor, put-upon Germany. Badly off and bewildered? Note cap – army? Hitler’s?

SSABSA Support Materials: 41405488.doc, last updated 15 July 2007 page 2 of 2