Political Cartoon Analysis

He Kōrero Tō Te Whakaahua — Reading Visual Arguments

Political cartoons compress complex arguments into a single image. Learning to read them is learning to think critically about power, media, and public life.

What Is a Political Cartoon?

A political cartoon (also called an editorial cartoon) is a single-panel drawing published in a newspaper or online that comments on a current event, public figure, or social issue. Unlike a news article, it does not aim to be neutral — it takes a position and uses visual language to make an argument.

In Aotearoa, cartoonists like Rod Emmerson (NZ Herald), Sharon Murdoch, and Tom Scott (who drew for the Evening Post for decades) have shaped how New Zealanders see and discuss politics. Their work sits in the tradition of democratic commentary — holding power to account through satire, symbol, and wit.

How do cartoonists make their arguments?

Symbolism
Objects stand in for ideas. A kiwi bird = New Zealand. A broken Treaty = violated partnership. A dollar sign = corporate interests.

Caricature
Physical features of public figures are exaggerated to emphasise a personality trait or criticism. A large ear = listening to the wrong people. An enormous wallet = greed.

Irony & Juxtaposition
Two things are placed side by side to highlight a contradiction. A politician waving a "Clean Rivers" banner while standing in pollution.

Labels & Text
Characters, objects, or locations are labelled so the reader understands what they represent in the real world.

The STEP Framework

Use STEP to break down any political cartoon systematically before forming your own response:

S — Symbols (Tohu)

What objects, colours, or figures appear? What does each one represent? List everything visible — even background details often carry meaning.

T — Text / Title (Kupu)

What written words appear in the cartoon? What does the title (if any) add? Sometimes the caption flips the meaning of the image entirely.

E — Exaggeration / Technique (Whakakeke)

What has been exaggerated or distorted? Why? What specific cartoon techniques are used (caricature, irony, juxtaposition)? What effect do they have?

P — Point / Purpose (Take)

What is the cartoonist's argument? What is their opinion on this issue? Who is the target of the satire? What does the cartoonist want the reader to feel or think?

He Whakamārama Anō — Context Matters

A political cartoon can only be fully understood with context. When you analyse one, you need to ask:

When was it published? — What event was happening at the time?
Where was it published? — A cartoon in the NZ Herald speaks to a different audience than one in The Spinoff.
Whose perspective is centred? — Political cartoons reflect the cartoonist's worldview. Whose voices or experiences might be missing?
Is there a te ao Māori lens? — How are Māori people, Treaty partnerships, or te reo represented (or absent) in this cartoon?

Whakamātauria! — Practice Activities

Activity 1: STEP Analysis

Your teacher will provide a political cartoon. Use the STEP framework to analyse it below.

Cartoon topic / date: _______________________________________________

S — Symbols: List and explain each symbol you can identify.

T — Text / Title: What written words appear? What do they add?

E — Exaggeration / Technique: What is exaggerated and why?

P — Point / Purpose: What argument is the cartoonist making?

Activity 2: Context and Perspective

Using the same cartoon, answer the following questions in full sentences.

1. What event or issue prompted this cartoon? Briefly explain the background context.

2. Do you agree with the cartoonist's point of view? Give a reason for your answer.

3. Whose perspective might be missing or underrepresented in this cartoon?

Activity 3 (Extension): Design Your Own

Choose a current issue in Aotearoa — it could be an environmental concern, a Treaty-related debate, a school policy, or a national political issue. Design a political cartoon that makes a clear argument about it.

Plan your cartoon here before drawing it. Consider: What is your argument? What symbols will you use? Will you caricature anyone? What text will you include?

In one sentence, what is the argument your cartoon makes?

Whakaaro Hōhonu — Reflection

What is one thing political cartoons can do that a written opinion piece cannot?

NZC Curriculum Alignment

English — Visual Language: Students will understand how visual language features are used to create meaning and effect.
English — Reading / Viewing: Students will think critically about texts, identifying purpose, audience, and point of view.
Social Sciences: Understand how people make and enact decisions about access to and use of resources, and their role as citizens in democratic society.

🌿 Te Ao Māori Lens

Whakaaro (critical thinking) is a taonga. In te ao Māori, images, patterns, and symbols have carried meaning for generations — from tā moko to tukutuku panels, visual language has always been a legitimate form of political and cultural expression. When analysing political cartoons, consider how Māori perspectives and Te Tiriti relationships are represented, and whose visual vocabulary is treated as the norm.