VCE English Language Analysis: Analysing Visuals, PowerPoint from Mrs Gallacher's after school presentation on analysing visual elements in the Using Language to Persuade outcome

1. ANALYSING VISUALS
Language Analysis

2. VISUALS YOU MAY HAVE
TO ANALYSE
Cartoon
Photograph
Advertisement
Graphs or other statistical
representations

3. CARTOONS
Context: What is the issue to which the cartoon/text refers?
Comment: Is the cartoon is making a political or social
comment?
Contention: What is the cartoonist’s contention?
Tone: Is the cartoon’s tone serious, funny, dark and gloomy,
witty or biting?
Components: What are the different elements of the cartoon?

4. CARTOONS
Use of Irony:
- Situational irony: i.e. absurd, ironic situations based
on coincidence or unexpected events.
- Linguistic irony: the use of ironic language such as
puns, sarcasm and hidden messages

5. CARTOONS
Symbols: Cartoonists use symbols to convey complex ideas
with an economy of detail. In general terms, a symbol is
anything that stands for something else. Obvious examples are
flags, which symbolize a nation; the cross is a symbol for
Christianity; a light bulb is a symbol of inspiration in acartoon.
What symbols are used to convey the cartoonist’s contention?
Explain what the symbol means in the context of this particular
cartoon.
Intended Impact on the Viewer: How does the cartoonist
position the viewer to think, feel and act

7. COLOUR
Colours can be separated into two groups – warm
colours and cool colours. Warm colours including red,
orange and yellow may be used to evoke feelings of
comfort and warmth. It can also be used to express
anger and embarrassment. Meanwhile, cool colours
including blue, green and purple may represent calm
and tranquility. Otherwise it can mean sadness and
misery.

8. SIZE
Size is an important element in cartoons and one that is
often quite obvious. Investigate:
♣ Is anything disproportioned?
♣ Exaggerated? Under-exaggerated?
♣ What is large and what is small?

9. HOW IS SIZE IMPORTANT
HERE?

10. LABELLING
Often a cartoonist will label something that they think the
average reader won’t know about (eg: who a person is)
♣ What is labeled?
♣ What do the labels say?
♣ Do the labels tell us the situation? Person? Time
change?

11. FOCUS
The focus of a cartoon can indicate the main issue or
situation.
♣ What is in focus?
♣ What is in the foreground and background?
Many cartoonists include a small signature in their works, for
example, Mark Knight uses a pig, which is usually making a
statement about the issue. Don’t ignore the small things

12. MARK KNIGHT’S PIG

13. ANGLES
Angles often provide readers an indication of the status of
particular people or things.
If the angle is sloping down, then it creates an image of a
smaller person or item. This indicates weakness, inferiority
and powerlessness.
An angle sloping up towards a person or item provides it
with power, superiority and authority.
A straight-on angle can represent equality.

14. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
Facial expressions are key to the character’s thoughts, feelings and
emotions.
♣ What facial expressions are used?
♣ Do they change (sequential cartoons)?
♣ How do expressions compare to another’s expression?
♣ Is it an expression we expect?

15. PHOTOGRAPHS
Photographs are often used to help communicate a
point of view because they are typically more
immediate.
You can often find the features previously mentioned
about cartoons. Eg: colour, facial expression, focus etc.

16. BALI 9: NOW

17. COMPOSITION
Refers to where and how
things are positioned in a
photograph.
Are they large and
dominant?
Are they small figures?
Are they in the centre, to
the side etc?

18. BALI 9

19. BALI 9 THEN

20. ADVERTISEMENTS
Contain a combination of visual and written
techniques, ensure that you analyse them all