TOW #16: Greenberg Political Cartoon

Genocide, an infamous world phenomenon, is also a topic of worldwide debate. The question of how to handle a seemingly uncontrollable situation becomes key to answer when these Genocides occur. In Steve Greenberg’s political cartoon, a character created to represent the world presents a genocidal situation. Within the cartoon, Greenberg pictures the world explaining the handling of genocide, and a family in Darfur being diminished.  Implementing parody and understatement, Greenberg uses elements of satire to exemplify what happens when no one intervenes with genocide.

            The cartoon essentially outlines a parody of how the genocide in Darfur is being handled, as well as similar genocides. Not of the genocide itself, but of how the world has handled it. In the cartoon, a character pictured to represent “the world” says, “I am not sure it’s really necessary to take action in Genocides…” However, as he says this, a family made to represent the victims of Genocide ironically gets smaller and smaller.  This is meant to represent the real world that Greenberg presents to think falsely that not taking action is the best solution. The viewers, whom would come from western nations with control over the situation, would then be astounded, and disgusted. The parody thus successfully shows them what the end result will be with no action, and causes them to consequently want to take this action.

            Greenberg understates the situation in order to add an ironical feel to the cartoon. Within the cartoon, “the World” attempts to make the argument that lack of action is the most logical solution to the issue of genocide. “The world” states that, “… If you don’t do anything for long enough… the problem eventually sort of solves itself.”  Under the text, a family is shown being depleted with time until the family is absolutely annihilated. By exemplifying the world understating the matter at hand, the actuality strikes at the emotions of western readers.

            Through the parody and understatement exemplified through Greenberg’s cartoon, the western audience is made to understand the vast effects of lack of intervening in genocide. They are successfully made to comprehend the fatuity of claims that lack of action is the best course of action.

Greenberg Political Cartoon

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