Question

Part 1: What a Man! (Nelson Harding, New York Journal 1933).

1. What type of message is this political cartoon trying to portray and how is it using


symbolism to portray the president?

Answer 1

The cartoon portrays President Hoover as ineffective in addressing the Great Depression using symbolism such as a brick wall and ladder.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Nelson Harding's political cartoon 'What a Man!' published in the New York Journal in 1933, the cartoon is portraying President Herbert Hoover in a negative light. The cartoon uses symbolism to convey the message that Hoover's policies and actions were ineffective in addressing the economic crisis of the Great Depression.

The objects and people in the cartoon include President Hoover, who is depicted as a sad, defeated man, a large brick wall labeled 'Depression', a ladder labeled 'Public Confidence', and a small monetary figure.

The symbolism in the cartoon represents Hoover's inability to overcome the financial crisis and restore public confidence in his presidency. The ladder represents the need for public trust and support, which Hoover is unable to reach due to the obstacle of the economic depression represented by the brick wall.