Analyzing Editorial Cartoons

Today in class we analyzed the various editorial cartoons included in this document.

Rules for Editorial Cartoon Friday Reading:
1. Identification of the speaker. This is more than simply a name. I want you to identify where you believe the speaker’s beliefs are. So, “Sarah Wheatley” would be a speaker, but if I were writing an opinion piece on the joys of parenting, then my identification would also be “mother” or “parent.”
2. Identification of the tone of the article. You need to explain how the cartoon conveys a specific tone.
3. Identification of the intended audience. You need to explain how the cartoon appeals to this specific audience.
4. A short summary of the purpose of the editorial cartoon (One to two well developed sentences).
5. A short reaction to the editorial cartoon (two to three well developed sentences)
6. A list of three rhetorical strategies used in the article. For each, identify the type of rhetorical strategy and list the specific example. YOU DO NOT NEED TO INCLUDE THE DEFINITION.(Thanks Austin!)

***Remember to include a copy of the editorial cartoon!

The Glass Castle Final Questions:
1. On page 230, Rex tells Jeannette: “The family is falling apart.” Analyze the hidden meaning of Jeannette’s reply.
2. Why is it important that, just before leaving for New York, Jeannette tells her father that she doesn't believe he'll ever build the glass castle, and that even if he does, she’s not going to be there to see it? (p. 238).
3. The first flashback Walls shares from her childhood is that of her burning herself severely at age three, and her father dramatically “rescuing” her from the hospital, telling her: "You're safe now" (p. 14). Why does the author open with this anecdote and how did it set the stage for the rest of the memoir?
4. Rex Walls often asked his children, "Have I ever let you down?" Why was this question (and the required "No, Dad" response) so important for him -- and for his kids? On what occasions did he actually come through for them?
5. Refute or defend the following statement: Though it portrays an incredibly hard life, the tone of the memoir is rarely overtly sad or depressing. (Your analysis should discuss the overall tone of the memoir and how you think Walls achieved her intended effect).
6. Analyze how the author uses rhetoric to portray her arrival in NYC and compare her arrival here to the other arrivals she describes in the book.
7. What is the overall purpose and tone of the concluding segment of the memoir, “Thanksgiving”?