The George W. Bush Presidential Library, by John Darkow (1290 words)

Write three-page essay analyzing a visual image

• Choose a visual image to analyze. You may choose:
o a political cartoon;
o an advertisement from the web or a print magazine; or
o a movie poster

• The essay should be at least three pages (but no more than four pages) and must include:
o An introduction paragraph that introduces the reader to the subject and presents the thesis
• Consider discussing one of the following: where the image was found, why the image was chosen, or provide general background that will give context to the image
o A thesis that explains the explicit claim of the image
o At least one paragraph describing the image
o At least one paragraph discussing an implied claim
o At least one paragraph discussing if the image is effective at presenting its explicit or implied claim
o At least three criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the image (one paragraph for each criterion)
• Consider using criteria on Writing Matters page 11, the use of color, or ethos/logos/pathos.
o At least one paragraph that describes the intended audience and why you believe it is the intended audience
o A conclusion paragraph that highlights the main ideas of the essay
o A copy of the image (see further requirements below)

• With the exception of the introduction and conclusion paragraphs, you may organize the essay in any order.

• (Optional) You may use outside sources to support your position such as research studies, newspaper or journal articles, academic essays, interviews, or statistics. If used, you must add a Works Cited page. (The Works Cited page does not count as part of the three pages.)

• The image may be inserted into the essay; if it takes up more than the equivalent of six lines of double-spaced text. The essay must be extended onto a fourth page to make up for the additional lines. The other option is to place the image on a separate page at the end on of the essay. If the original is not a digital image it must be converted to a digital image. If the original image is in color, the copy must be also.

• The essay must follow MLA or APA format. (Specific details and examples will be discussed in class.)

This material may consist of step-by-step explanations on how to solve a problem or examples of proper writing, including the use of citations, references, bibliographies, and formatting. This material is made available for the sole purpose of studying and learning - misuse is strictly forbidden.

George W. Bush was always a favorite target for cartoonists and satirists because of all the mistakes he made while in office. In John Darkow’s cartoon, the George W. Bush Presidential Library is located in a FEMA trailer and entitled the “George W. Bush Presidential Booky Thingy,” to imply that Bush was not intelligent enough to know the proper term for the word library (Darkow, 2013). The imagery and text focuses on his administration failures, from Iraq to letting the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 occur to the failed response to Hurricane Katrina. Cagle is implying that Bush’s tenure in office was so poor that he does not deserve a presidential library.
One of the most striking features within the cartoon is the banner titled “Mission Accomplished” on the FEMA trailer where the library or “booky thingy” is located (Darkow, 2013)...