Political Cartoon Analysis

In this cartoon, there are two figures interacting with each other. The first, which is cartels, are represented in the form of a scorpion, a deadly, poisonous animal, clutching wads of money in one claw and illicit drug supply in the other. The second figure, which is the illicit drug demand, is represented in what can be seen as an average American, wearing simple sneakers jeans and a jacket, with a top hat emblazoned with the union jack logo, allowing us to come to the assumption that its a representation of America. There are many minuscule details emphasising the characteristics of both parties, and how they are seen as, including the colours chosen to represent them. White and blue are seen as holy and patriotic, while yellow with a black tinge is associated with urine and garbage. The font and colour in which each word is written have symbols in it too. ‘Cartels’ is written in a fiery font with orange-red colouring symbolizing the ‘death a sacrilege’ they cause, while the American, a dull maroon red that sinks into the background not drawing much attention to it. This comic satirizes the irony of American prejudice, as drug trade involves two parties and the only reason many innocents lives are put at stake is that cartels have to meet the demand of consumers in order to sustain a living. This puts the blood on both parties hands, but the cartels are seen as the ones doing the deed and therefore are seen as the wrongdoers in societies eyes. Not only this, the receiving party too, i.e those demanding illicit substances, also add blame to the cartels, acting like they have zero involvement in the deed. This cartoon also bursts at its seams with a subdued reference between the political tension between America and Mexico, and how each side is portrayed.