Critical Thinking Political Cartoon Analysis

Cartoon Analysis

An Analysis of Tom Toles' Gay Rights Cartoon

Tom Toles' most recent cartoon for the Washington Post shows a wedding cake with -- instead of the traditional bride and groom figurines -- a groom and a groom, smiling and holding hands. One of the figurines is playing on the Sinatra tune, "New York, New York," saying, "If we can make it here…" suggesting that gay marriage can make it anywhere. This paper will analyze the strength of Tom Toles' 2011 political cartoon commenting on New York's recent legalization of gay marriage, and show how Toles makes a good and subtle argument for the big impact that we can expect from New York's decision: gay marriage may soon be legal everywhere.

The cartoon is simple enough: the wedding cake is labeled "NY Gay Marriage," the groom and groom holding hands are in tuxedoes, and beside them at their feet is hiking gear: a pack, a pick ax, and rope leading down to the base of the cake. The cartoonist in the bottom corner of the box comments on the scene with the words, "Cake taken!" As though this truly did beat all. The scene is one of triumphalism -- and what it portends is a domino effect of liberalism: the gay agenda has finally climbed its way to the top of the social mountain and is on display for all to see and for all to bow down to. The cartoon uses the Sinatra tune to reinforce the notion that the world is now in the palms of homosexual activists' hands. The tone is ebullient and yet the picture is still odd. The contrast of celebration and the end of marriage as traditionally understood is a kind of double-edged sword: on the one hand it attempts to effect joy -- on the other hand it tends to effect a kind of sick feeling -- as in, "What have we done?"

Nonetheless, what New York has done is open the gates to the gay agenda, which will now be able to put more pressure on political figures to either embrace them or get out of the way. As the caption suggests, the gay agenda is flying high and shows no signs of stopping any time soon. In fact, columnists are already pointing to signs of the domino effect that the New York's legalization has had -- everywhere reports of gay marriages are coming in -- from all over the world: Brazil, France, and now here in the United States. Even conservative politicians do not know where to stand on this issue: twenty years ago their party would not have supported gay rights -- but now one senses that the party can no longer support a stance that opposes them. As Dylan says, "The times they are a-changin'" -- and so is the opinion of Republican Senator Mark J. Grisanti: "With his position still undeclared, Senator Mark J. Grisanti, a Republican from Buffalo who had sought office promising to oppose same-sex marriage, told his colleagues he had agonized for months before concluding he had been wrong" (Confessore, Barbano 2011).

But that is not all: the four Republicans that voted for legalization in New York to push the ballot through received in return campaign funds. As reported by the New York Post, in David Seifman's (2011) article "Mike hail$ gay-nup GOPers," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg "said he would support Senate Republicans who stood up, and he did…Four Republican legislators who broke ranks with their colleagues to enact gay marriage in New York each received $10,300 campaign contributions from Mayor Bloomberg." That, of course, is only an example of monetary aid -- it is likely, as Grisanti contemplates crossing over to the Democratic Party, that other forms of aid will not be long in coming.

Of course, one need not hear of these reports to understand Toles' cartoon: the argument is persuasive and obvious enough to drive home the point loud and clear: gay marriage is happening and it is happening in a big way.

One way in which Toles effects the scope of the new law is that for gay activists it is like finally reaching the top of Mt. Everest (hence, the hiking gear, the whiteness of the wedding cake, the structure like a mountain). Gays are now literally -- at least, according to the cartoon -- standing at the top of the world. Toles' argument is made by the drawing alone -- but the words the groom figurine pronounces help add the note of confidence that the gay movement now possesses. The visual imagery essentially works on the imagination by suggesting that gays have earned this right (by working so hard for it, struggling to the top), that they really are nice, good-looking people (they do look sharp in their tuxedoes), and that their love is true and pure just like heterosexual love. The words Toles adds to the cartoon, "If we can make it here…" complete the picture, first by playing off of Sinatra (the most dapper Dan of all), and second by leaving open the possibility for more sweeping changes in favor of the gay community.

The meaning of the cartoon is plain enough and does not depend upon implication, assumption, or inference: the fact is gay marriage has been legalized in New York, and many states are expected to follow New York's example. The evidence is there, and the premise passes the "So what?" test: this does indeed effect everyone -- those who are for it as well as those who are against it.

The intended audience appears to be those who would prefer to join in the celebration. Those who oppose gay marriage and gay rights are likely to find the cartoon disturbing. Toles does not necessarily preach to one side or the other -- he is merely making a point -- and the point is that gay rights are coming whether you like it or not. The gay community has the momentum and the support of the media. The goal of the cartoon could be that (as pictured by the pick ax and rope) these rights have been a long time coming and have been fairly and deservedly won. The strategic argument that Toles employs would likely be one of peer influence: everyone is getting on board -- don't be left behind.

The persuasiveness of the cartoon, again, depends on the individual: if the individual is in favor of gay rights, he is likely to be persuaded to join in the celebration; if the individual is not, he is likely to be persuaded to protest such a defiling of the institution of marriage. The piece is not editorial -- it is merely stating a fact. Any rational person can learn from the cartoon the implications of New York's legalization of gay marriage. The cartoon demonstrates the Ethos of modern living, Pathos (it does appear to empathize), and Logos (it does appear to also express a conventional wisdom: gay rights are not going to stop at the borders of New York).