A political cartoon published by cartoonist Steve Kelley, a Dartmouth graduate and Pulitzer Prize winner, shows a cartoonist sitting at the head of the table with his family during a thanksgiving meal. When the family is saying what they are thankful for, the cartoonist says that he is thankful for “Joe Biden, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, the Tea Party, the Cheney sisters, and most of all Obamacare.” Kelley’s purpose in providing these topics is to make fun of them but also at the same time to make fun of the cartoonists that have to be grateful for these foolish topics because in turn these topics are what provide them with jobs.
One of the main rhetorical devices that Kelley uses is irony. Usually at Thanksgiving when people say what they are thankful for, they talk about positive things and good things that are happening in their lives. They also may mention things that are good for a community, such as good health, family, or spending time with loved ones. As opposed to saying those things, the cartoonist in the picture instead says things that are controversial. However, it is ironic because the things he says give him a job, and provide him with something to write about, therefore the reason why he is grateful for them.
I believe that Steve Kelley does a good job at achieving his purpose. He provides a list of topics that have been on the news in the past and are controversial but still relevant. The audience for this cartoon was mostly Americans or anyone who is aware of what is going on in North American politics. Other political cartoonists would also be likely to enjoy the cartoon. Part of what helps achieve his goal is that when the audience reads through the list, they are able to make a humorous connection between the items listed and the news items that have caused some to think these are humorous topics.
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