Waleed Ahmed

Mr. Soeth

English 3 AP

February 24, 2011

REHUGO – Political Cartoon

A. Attached cartoon by Ed Fischer

B. Ed Fischer’s cartoon illustrates the growing neglect society has for those who are becoming homeless. Furthermore, the cartoon demonstrates the increasing selfishness society has during a time of economic turmoil.

C. The effectiveness of the cartoon comes from the symbolism of the storage. Usually a place to store items that one is not using, the storage in which the homeless are being placed implies that the homeless are seen as useless to the public. Therefore, as the moving van drives off, it symbolizes how society will come back for what they need of the homeless when they see fit, but for now they don’t need them. Also, the van implies that the public is overflowing with homeless and need space to lock them away. In addition, since the place where the homeless are held is a storage, it implies that more are to be placed into the storage as society finds more homeless being useless to the population the same way a homeowner finds more junk to lock away.

D. As Americans find fewer jobs and flood the lower class, greater numbers of homeless will be neglected by the public. Therefore, as public interest drives away from the homeless, so does local government, one of the primary forms of prevention of poverty. No government involvement therefore sets the homeless onto the streets till they can be seen as useful once again. Also, little government involvement means fewer public agencies to address the homeless crisis, meaning the homeless are cemented into their social standing with little anyone can do to help.

Fischer, Ed. Family Cartoon Illustration Blowup." CartoonStock - Cartoon Pictures, Political Cartoons, Animations. Web. 25 Feb. 2011