Talking points1. Who do the two painters represent in the toonabove? What symbols tell you that?

2. Which of the painters is to blame for the badresult? What’s implied by your answer?

3. You should recognize the peace symbol immedi-ately. Where have you seen it before?

4. The goal of a political cartoon is often to getyou to look at an issue in a different way to betterunderstand what’s at stake. Is the cartoon a com-mentary or a call to action? Explain the point thecartoonist is trying to make.

Additional resourcesAssociation of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC)http://editorialcartoonists.com/More by Clay Bennett http://www.claybennett.com/

Get out your newspaperGather a collection of political cartoons from yournewspaper over the next two weeks. Using theCartoon Evaluation Worksheet (available online atthe NIE Website) analyze each cartoon and explainthe issues addressed and determine the point ofview of the artist. Gather news stories about thoseissues and evaluate the cartoonists opinions.

The Middle East just can’t seem to get it together whenit comes to building a lasting peace. Clay Bennett’s car-toons manage to say an awful lot without using any words.To do that, the cartoonist uses familiar symbols to com-municate with you visually. The key is “familiar.” To getthe point in this cartoon, you need to recognize the flagson the backs of the painters and be aware of the conflictin the Middle East. The artist has to assume you knowthese things. As long as the symbols in a toon are clearand the message is communicated, captions are unneces-sary. And the toon is effective in any language.

Cartoons for the Classroom is available through Newspaper in Education programs. Copyright Online Publications Inc. and NIEOnline.com

Cartoons for the ClassroomPresented in cooperation with the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC)

Saying it without words

Cartoon courtesy Clay Bennett / Christian Science Monitor

Between the linesIsraeli andPalestinian leadersdeclared a cease-firerecently at a summitin Egypt aimed atending more thanfour years of blood-shed and revivinglong-stalled peacetalks. Within days,however, suicidebombers struck with-in Israel and threat-ened the fragilepeace deal.