This political cartoon is first set in the year 1960 and shows parents blaming their kid for not succeeding academically. Then, it shows the parents putting blame on the teacher for their kid not succeeding 50 years later, in 2010. This relates to my research paper because I'm writing about the current decline in US education compared to the rest of the world, and this cartoon tries to identify what is causing this fall.
This cartoon clearly contrasts the differences in values and parenting styles from 50 years ago versus today. It tries to convince people who read it that parents are unfairly blaming the establishment, rather than their own children, for academic struggles. Although this claim may not necessarily be true, the author tries to persuade his audience through emotion and nostalgia.
The illustrator of this cartoon tries to generate an appeal to pathos by bringing back thoughts and emotions from the past for some of the audience. Using a comparison from 1960 brings back a nostalgic feeling to certain readers, which adds persuasive value. Older readers who see this will be more likely to empathize and become persuaded by it because of how the illustrator appeals to how things were in 1960.
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I like this cartoon and the analysis that you have put behind it. I would agree that if my grandparents saw this cartoon they would probably relate to it best because they remember the days when corporal punishment was used in schools. However, when I look at it I am slightly confused because although I am in college my parents still pay for me to attend. Since my parents pay for me to attend, they are very interested in my academic progress. While their interest may not be to the extent of the cartoon character, I think that parents today still hold their own children accountable for their grades.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting cartoon. I think this is very applicable to elementary and middle school aged children. Oftentimes, parents are constantly hovering over every move that teachers make. Many parents accuse teachers of being unfair to their children and try to micromanage the relationship between teacher and child.
ReplyDeleteMy parents definitely agree with this. They have had two kids go through high school, and my mom is a teacher. She has taught in both "eras", and she constantly takes the side of the teacher, even as my friends parents schedule parent-teacher conferences to argue a grade. In my opinion, this cartoon is spot on, as is your analysis.
ReplyDeleteI think the article does a good job of humorously shedding light on a stark contrast that has come about over the past generation. The humor employed does seem to make the implied statement more persuasive.
ReplyDeleteThis cartoon is definitely effective in conveying it's message. Even if parents are still invested in the children's education these days, they tend to place more blame on the teacher's rather than their own child because they do not want to see fault in their children. Or, it could also be that these days both parents are working and probably do not put as much effort in the child's education and rather want the teachers to make sure they are doing well.
ReplyDeleteI like how you use the cartoon to portray who we set the blame for education today. It brings humor in the paper, but a good deal of truth. Today, students do have less incentive to learn and parents do not hold their children responsible. This is why the public education in America is failing and why students in the USA are far more behind than most other 1st and 2nd world countries.
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