Analysis of Satirical Cartoons

For TWO cartoons from the previous post (or you can choose ONE of your own) answer the following questions?:

Questions:

1. What is the event or issue that inspired the cartoon?
2. Are there any real known personalities depicted in the cartoon? Even if this is not the case, what type of person is being depicted?
3. Are there symbols and/or signifiers in the cartoon? What are they and what do you think they represent?
4. What do you think the cartoonist's opinion is about the topic? Do you think it is his alone or expresses the view of the publisher too? Why?
5. Do you agree with the cartoonist's opinion? Why??

1 - It is inspired by a common saying

2 - There aren't any real known personalities in the cartoon, but it does depict a stereotypical saying by using incongruity.

3 - N/A

4 - The cartoon is simply exaggerating a common saying by placing it out of proportion (incongruity)

5 - The author isnt really making an opinion but seems to make a mockery out of the saying 'think outside of the box' by having an actual box in the scene. I do understand the mockery and do agree with it as i don't particularly like the saying or find it helpful when someone says it to me.

Text Number                                        Why it made me laugh                                       Techniques Used
10                                      
Because it highlights the absuridy of grades in primary school  
Incongruity

13
Because it presents an absurb view of John Howard's real motivation.
Incongruity

Why does it Matter?

Why does it Matter?

Read any story that we haven't read yet and write a review of the story and explain why it matters. Why should anyone care about the story/read it?

‘Be Good, Little Migrants’ by Uyen Loewald

The Author present a biased view on Asian Immigrants living in western countries and attempts to convince the reader  that western society has a set superiority complex that treats Asian immigrants as second class citizens.

What really makes this story grab the reader’s attention is its focus on exaggerating facts and completely making western society look racist and discriminatory. For example, the author’s description of what western society told these Asian immigrants to do is completely biased, and in my point of view, completely selfish “…We’ve saved you from starvation, war, landlessness, oppression, Just display your gratitude, but don’t be heard, don’t be seen” This opening stanza symbolises the tone for the rest of the poem, and figuratively ‘slaps western culture in the face’ for (as the author states) ‘saving’ them from their poor conditions.

Furthermore the author continues to slam western society based on Asian stereotypes, “…Give us your faithful service, sweep factories, clean mansions…” and insinuates that all of western society expects Asian immigrants to work lower class jobs and be treated as second class citizens.

This is story is important to read because it threatens the creditability of Asian immigrants and their hole heartedly experiences by creating a picture of a xenophobic western society that is completely racist and discriminatory.

The Early Settlers by Ken Chau

1. How does this title refer to two groups of ‘settlers’? Who are they?

The title is most likely referring to two types of settlers, foreigners and natives. Presumably since the book is about Australia and growing up Asian in Australia, and because the story references 1987 "...in 1987 to grow corn..", the foreigners would most likely be white settlers from Britain set to colonize Australia, and the natives being the Aboriginals. 

2. How is the first line of the poem successful at being ‘forceful’ regarding the Great-Grandfather’s presence in Australia?

The author creates a forceful setting with the introduction of Great-Grandfather by giving no further explanation into his arrival "Great-Grandfather arrived", without having any sense or show of emotion or even any explanation a sense of forcefulness is created because it seems that Great-Grandfather arrived at Australia by someones elses will - thus my theory of the colonization of Australia and the native Aboriginals is supported. 

3. What action are the ‘early settlers’ doing that gives them equally a strong presence?

The early settlers are 'entrecnhed' meaning that they are not willing to open themselves to anything and are being completely xenophobic, this would make them seem very hostile in the eyes of another culture especially if you just arrived in a new land.

4. How is the intention of the Great-Grandfather juxtaposed to the beliefs of the ‘early settlers’?

Great-Grandfather's situation is very relevant to the early settlers in the late 19th century, that he was taken 'forcefully' to this new land and has to work on plantations such as corn "..in 1987 to grow corn... in Wahgunyah".

5. What action does the Great-Grandfather do that ties him both to the ‘early settlers’ and to his own culture?

Great-Grandfather curses at the native people for being hostile and 'entrecnhed' proving that he is from a foreign land - meaning that he is white and is most likely from Britain. 

6. How does this short poem highlight the irony of the hatred that immigrants experience when they come to a 'settled' land like Australia?

It is ironic because the settler were actually invading the new land rather then colonizing it, and the hatred that was created was a mutual feeling between the whites and the Aboriginals meaning that the hatred and hostile feeling that the White got from the Aboriginals was deserved. 

Lessons from my School Years by Ray Wing-Lun

1. There is a stark contrast created in the opening of this story between what the narrator had been doing before entering school and what will be expected at school? What is this contrast and what does it immediately create in the story?
The contrast is from the fun relaxing things he would do before school to the time passing, interesting things in school. This creates a sense of unawareness throughout the story.

2. The author continues this theme of contrast at the start of the story. How does he do this in his description of his experience of Sydney’s North Shore?

He continues this contrast at the start of the story with his experience of the North Shore by the dark ally ways and where all the mechanics drove their cars to his shiny clean shop.

3. What was the father’s background in business before he opened the fruit shop? What has helped him become successful?

His fathers background in business was him working hard and unpacking crates and boxes of fruit and vegetables on and off trucks. What helped him become successful was working hard.

4. The narrator’s description of his father is complex. What makes the father a complex character?

What makes the father a complex character is the knowing about his work side but not much about him.

5. (91) How does the author describe his role in doing ‘things that counted’?
The author describes his role is doing this that counted by standing back and listening to his/her siblings stories.

6. What experience does the author have at school while keeping to himself? What does he learn from this experience?

7. How would you characterise the narrator’s tone in regards to the events that are occurring around him?

I would assume the narrator's tone in regards to the events that are occurring around him as sad, dull and slow. I don't think is something he/she would want to be talking about.

8. How does the narrator characterise the ways that one could ‘get the strap’ and ways that one could avoid it?

The narrator characterizes getting the strap as very easy and very hard to avoid getting it.

9. What event evokes a racist speech to the class by the teacher?

What evokes the racist speech is the note saying he/she cant go swimming.

10. What effect did the author’s experience with ‘Strap Happy Jack’ have on him?

The effect Strap Happy Jack had on the author was positive. He didn't like him but it made him focus more.

11. What was the one advantage school provided the author?

School provided the author with a sense of accomplishment and the life lesson of working hard which set him up for a lifetime of learning.

12. What did the author do at his school? What was his motivation for doing it? What did he feel was lacking at school?

The author created a workshop class for people to study together and helping them study well. He was motivated by his bad concentration. He thought that groups like these were lacking at the school because they could help.

13. What did the parents want their son to do at school? What did the author fear would happen by obeying his parents?

His parents wanted him to do as the teacher wanted him to do, not what he wanted to do, the author feared he wouldn't be able to be able to think for himself if he did that.

Teenage Dreamers by Phillip Tang

1.     What are the first two sentences of the story and how do they create a tension in the story?

It creates a ‘spookiness’ or jolt inside the reader, and is effective in grabbing the readers attention.

2.     What has happened to the author’s father as a result of his wife’s death?

He has become obsessed with a Chinese Singer called ‘Leslie Cheung’

3.     How does the description of the father removing his hands from his face as ‘unmasked’ related to the seriousness of his following statement?

The reason it is so serious for the father to ‘unmask’ himself is because he is putting any put on emotion on, and is simply talking to his son face to face and truly. 

Conversations with my Parents by Oanh Thi Tran

1.     What is ironic about the way the author and the father become close? What has to happen to the father?

It is ironic that the author and the father become close because it happens at the time of his apparent illness – that will most likely result in his death.

2.     How would you characterise the conversation that the author has with her parents?

It is humourist and repetitive

3.     What is it that worries the author most about these conversations?

The author worries about these conversations because he can never say what he wants, that he loves his parents and misses them

4.     There is a gap between the author’s need to express feelings common in western countries and her family’s lack of desire to express their feelings verbally. How does the family still express their feelings for their child, just not verbally?

Because that is the way they have been culturally raised and is the society they live in, this is apparent since the author regrets not saying it to them and instead of sharing his love every 3 weeks, he forgets to and does not find the courage to.