Marian Kamensky, an Austrian political cartoonist, claims that American democracy is being attacked by Trump’s Twitter activity in a political cartoon published in the East Bay Times. In Kamensky’s cartoon, he depicts a bald eagle having its feathers plucked by blue, toy-sized birds, symbolizing the conflict. His purpose is to point out the danger Trump’s tweeting poses of which is ignored by conventional forms of media. Kamensky compels his audience to stop dismissing Trump’s behavior as simply politics, but rather to view it as an existential threat to the nation. Kamensky uses symbolism to state his claim about the interaction between abstract topics they represent. Here, the bald eagle is a representation of American values, immediately evident to us American readers, for we have been taught that it’s our national bird. His use of a familiar symbol rather than a concrete representation of America makes him appear less like an Austrian foreign observer but rather a common US citizen. Hence, we grant him the authority to comment on American affairs. Additionally, with the values of America in mind when the us readers see the eagle, the feathers plucked from it would be interpreted as the…show more content… We are first drawn to his Grinch-wide mouth and scheming eyes, which imply sinister intent and reinforces the aggressor image. He is also given a large chin and wide frame, perhaps to match what Kamensky views as his greed. This adds the negative image he paints for us. Finally, as an aside, he gives Trump small hands. This joke continues to circulate the Internet, so its inclusion indicates his authority on Internet trends, at least regarding Trump. The negative image uniquely links Trump and his character to the travesty represented by the
