The Political Cartoon: How The Author Uses Visual Rhetoric's to Portray Discrimination of Native Americans

Liberty Bell Cafe

This political cartoon represents the discrimination that Native Americans underwent during this time period through the uses of visual rhetorics. As tension is made apparent on the faces of both men in this picture. In this political cartoon the white man was in control of rules, regulations, and money, but the Indians were the ones who gave up their land in the first place.

Treating Native Americans like animals and “making them use the back door” is out of line, but accurately represents that time period. A white man is walking out of a cafe through the front door. While this is happening, a Native American is walking by and notices the sign, “Indians use back door”. There is also another sign on the far right of the picture, that says “We’re all Americans, buy war bonds”. This political cartoon shows everyone thinks that all people have equal rights, but then it makes the viewer wonder why there is a sign in the window telling the Native Americans to go through the back door. They are forced to use the back door, not just in a cafe or shop but in life. This develops pathos as the words in the political cartoon helps the viewers to understand that the Native Americans are not treated as equally as the white man.

Therefore, the author's purpose in creating this political image is to show the amount of discrimination that the Native Americans faced in the American society.