TOW #9: Visual Text

There have always been two definitive parties within American politics, whether it be federalists and antifederalists or democrats and republicans, there have always been parties representing two different sides of the political spectrum. However, in recent years it has been more common to see smaller more radical factions developing within the two larger fundamental parties. This is topic of seasoned political cartoonist for the Chicago Tribune Scott Stantis's September 2010 cartoon, The Tea Party. In this cartoon, aimed at the average American voter, Stantis uses juxtaposition to show how the Tea Party had become a large burden on the Republican party.
This visual text depicts a fiery young girl demanding that a large, seemingly bewildered elephant drink his tea at her tea party. However, on a deeper level, this humorous cartoon jabs at the American right wing political faction: The Tea Party. The elephant, the symbol of the GOP, represents the Republican Party. The little girl represents the Tea Party: a radically conservative (perhaps that is an oxymoron) faction of the Republican party. In this cartoon the Tea Party is depicted as having a comical control over the larger, yet scared, Republican party. Stantis shows this through his juxtaposition of the little girl and the large elephant. The large elephant would seemingly be stronger than the little girl, reflecting on how the Republican party should be stronger than the grass roots Tea Party. However, the little girl appears to be extremely loud and demanding, whereas the elephant is passive. This comparison of the small but verbose Tea Party to the powerful but easily cowed elephant shows how the Tea Party is able to control and hinder the Republican party despite its power. Thus, Stantis's comical juxtaposition effectively shows the absurdity of the fact that the small Tea Party is deeply and negatively affecting the larger Republican Party.