Images of AmericaCorrection

Compétence Analyse d’un document iconographique

1. Pick out all the symbolic images of America in this cartoon.

First of all, we are struck by the way this cartoon is organized. We can easily spot a hierarchy in the way the iconic figures are displayed.In the foreground, The statue of Liberty is seated next to Uncle Sam. They are both drinking Coke and eating a hamburger and French fries from Mc Donald’s. Mickey Mouse is standing between them. In the right-hand corner, we can recognize Marilyn Monroe with her white floating dress. It is worth adding that Uncle Sam has let his colt belt hanging loose on the chair and he’s holding an Oscar in his left hand..In the middle, we have an Indian chief who looks rather small compared to the King, Elvis Presley. Right behind him, John Wayne in his cow-boy outfit is rising up his arm in the sky as if he was about to shoot. Finally, in the background, we can see the mount Rushmore with the statues of the Founding Fathers as well as the Empire States Building along with the other skyscrapers. The sky is covered by the American flag.

2. Explain why the cartoonist chose these particular images.

All these images refer to notions such as success, power, fame and superiority.Political power and liberties are respectively represented by Uncle Sam and the statue of liberty. Coke and Mc Donald’s stand for world-wide economic success.John Wayne, Marilyne Monroe and Elvis Presley symbolize the international success of American music and film industries. The concept of “Manifest Destiny’ is implicitly suggested by the Mount Rushmore and the small Indian chief located just below. America is proud of his Founding Fathers even though they had to slaughter millions of native Americans to reach their goals.

3. What images of the USA are missing?

The Indian chief with his arms crossed seems to bear a grudge against Uncle Sam, it is an implicit reference to the plight of the Indian people who have deliberately been slaughtered by the white settlers. There is no reference to poverty in this cartoon as if homelessness didn’t exist in Uncle Sam’s country. All the characters are white, black people, ‘Chicanos’, along with all the other ethnic groups living on the American soil are not even represented. It is also interesting to notice that the American military interventions in Vietnam or Iraq are nowhere to be found.

4. Does this cartoon represent your own vision of the USA? Why or why not?

In some way, this cartoon does represent our vision of the USA because, unconsciously, we associate these iconic figures with the notion of ‘The American Dream’. Everything is possible in the States and if you’re brave enough you can become rich and famous. Unfortunately, only a few lucky ones have realized their own ‘American Dream’; the vast majority of Americans lead a normal life and have to struggle everyday to earn a living.But the latest historical events such the American involvement in Iraq and the terrorist attacks of the twin towers on September 11 2001 have definitively tarnished the image of the USA.