Granlund, Dave. Poverty USA
In this article there are many different aspects of strong rhetoric being used. The picture is designed to promote empathy and sadness, but is also made to make one think about the deeper meaning of the comic. While it displays a family that is in distress and has seen better times asking for help, the person to the right that is in a similar condition is supposed to be representing the entirety of the United States as “Uncle Sam”. This cartoon is a great representation of what many people are seeing in the United States lately, which is a large amount of media showing the current financial trouble in the United States. Atal Bihari Vajpayee quote, "Poverty is multidimensional. It extends beyond money incomes to education, health care, political participation and advancement of one's own culture and social organisation." clearly is referring to the exact problem this image is trying to address.
This political cartoon draws from is the historic image of the United States as “Uncle Sam”. What was once an image promoting the United States army and was a symbol of strength and power, in this depiction of him, he is nowhere near in as good of condition. Although Uncle Sam is an old reference, it is still used today for many politically motivated things such as this cartoon. Since it is used throughout our culture currently the representation is drawing from the past, but people in the present can relate as well.
Looking into the credibility of the author of this cartoon, Dave Granlund, it is notable that he has a long list of credits towards his merit throughout the 39 years he has been making cartoons. He has also won a long list of awards for his comics and has been entered into the pulitzer prize multiple times. One of the best ways to track his credibility and reputation however is through his website where there is a list of all the accomplishments he has earned towards his political cartoons. Although the only real authority to write on these subjects is a college degree and personal experience, he does seem to appeal to more of a politically involved audience.
One can recognize the emotional connection that is made in this political cartoon because it is the focus point of it. The entire family with their children and dog are all begging for money, or asking for help while “Uncle Sam” or the United States responds with “I was going to ask you the same…” This forces the audience to interpret the fact that the rhetor does not believe the U.S. is in good financial standings at all. One of the main presuppositions might be that the U.S. is struggling as much as it is depicted. Another presupposition the rhetor makes is the image he uses of the family in need. This most likely is not what all the families in need look like, and it may not be so easy to determine who is, and who is not struggling. The rhetor actually highlights the audience's concerns, or gives them something to be concerned about. For many, seeing a visual interpretation of what the rhetor sees in the U.S. is a powerful enough image in itself. Since it is a cartoon there can be no real source of information. However, the newspaper that it was featured in could have some impact, and who the author of the comic was could pertain value as well.
The message in this cartoon is fairly direct. It is strongly suggesting that the citizens of the U.S. are struggling to make ends meet, and are asking for ‘help’. The country itself is showing how poor of a state it is in by turning out empty pockets and offering no help. The purpose of the rhetor’s message in this piece would most likely be to show the audience how he feels about poverty in the United States and controversy over the debt the country is in. The cartoon is serving as a reminder of how bad the financial status of the United States is right now as a whole, not just individuals below the poverty line. Although this image does address a lot I feel that one of the things that it lacks is representation of how this problem is possibly solvable. Bertrand Piccard was once said, "In the 21st century, I think the heroes will be the people who will improve the quality of life, fight poverty and introduce more sustainability." While it is just a cartoon, it should elude to some hint of hopefulness rather than just using pathos to make people feel uncomfortable and sad. The evidence shown in this cartoon is displayed through the clothes that the family is wearing, and the sign they are holding that is begging for help. Some of the counterarguments to this stance could be people who do not see the U.S. in a bad position currently. Although our debt is becoming enormously high, the country is still functioning and is not at all showing signs of weakness.
Finally it is important to remember what the primary message this cartoon sends is. That while there are a large portion of people in this country living below the poverty line, the country itself is also still struggling in many ways, and if it is not addressed it may go on unnoticed. As the famous African American actor James Baldwin once said, "Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor."
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