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Questions
1. Which comic device does the cartoonist use to make his point? Explain your answer.
a) pun
b) parody
c) personification
d) irony
e) caricature
2. Define “snowflake” as used in this cartoon.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the answers.
Cartoon by Gary McCoy
Answers
1. a) pun, which is a “play on words” – a type of humor using a word or phrase that has two meanings: The boy is looking out the window pointing to the “snowflake” complaining on the lawn, not the weather condition snowflake
The cartoonist did not use:
b) parody – known by also as a spin-off or spoof, a parody is an imitation of another’s work, usually in a humorous way to poke fun at the original work. Usually, for a better effect, a parody makes fun of a famous or well-known piece of work, so the audience has a better chance of recognizing the original.
c) personification, which is a figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to an abstract quality, animal, or inanimate object.
d) irony – when the opposite of what you expect to happen occurs
e) caricature: A description or characterization that exaggerates or distorts a character’s prominent features, usually for purposes of mockery. For example, a cartoon of a gaunt Abraham Lincoln with a giant top hat, a very scraggly beard, and sunken eyes could be considered a caricature.
2. Urban Dictionary describes a snowflake as “an overly sensitive person, incapable of dealing with any opinions that differ from their own. These people can often be seen congregating in “safe zones” on college campuses”.
(For a detailed description, read the wikipedia entry)
