THE NEW YORK TRADE CENTER ATTACK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS

This page looks back at how American and international cartoonists responded to the attack on the World Trade Center in its immediate aftermath.  Although not specifically centred upon the theme of historical memory, these cartoons were chosen to demonstrate how the metaphors of past experience are used to understand the present and to explore such broad issues as nationalism;  religious tolerance and its relationship to faith; and perceptions of the "other" or the enemy during a particularly--traumatic short period of time.  You will find below links to several editorial cartoons, arbitrarily divided into different categories.   I have also listed a series of possible questions to be used in analyzing these cartoons.

THE PROCEDURE FOR ANALYZING THE CARTOONS

STEP 1

View the cartoons on Osama Bin Laden, The Terrorists, and Afghanistan in Section I below (Faces of the Enemy).  Use the back button to return to the cartoon list between the opening up of each individual cartoon. Then, analyze these cartoons.  The following questions can be used as a guide:

1.  With what animals are Bin Laden and the terrorists associated (list at least three)?  What is the importance of this imagery?

2.  With what other non-human things are the terrorists associated (list at least three)?

3.  How does the image of blood appear in these cartoons?

4.  How does the image of death appear in these cartoons?

5.  How do the cartoons address the issue of Bin Laden's guilt or innocence?

6.  Have you seen similar images to those in these cartoons used to depict other groups?  If so, why do you think people tend to use such images to portray those whom they hate?  Hate important do you think these cartoons are in shaping people's ideas?

7.  What other overall comments would you make about the cartoons in this Faces of the Enemy section?

 

 

STEP 2

View the cartoons in Section II below (The United States Responds).

1.  Choose one cartoon in this section that you find interesting.  Comment in writing upon this cartoon.

 

STEP 3

View the cartoons in Section III below (National Symbolism and Historical Memory)

1.  List four patriotic American symbols that appear in these cartoons.  What does each symbol represent and how are they used to frame the meaning of the September 11 attacks?

2.  What historical references are made in these cartoons?  How is World War II used as a comparison point?  In your own opinion, is World War II a useful reference point?  Explain.

3.  If you are not an American, identify at least two national symbols of your own country.  What do these symbols represent?  How can they be used and mis-used in times of crisis?

 

STEP 4

View the cartoons in Sections IV (The Role of Religion) and V (The Attack and Middle East Relations).

1.  How do these cartoons portray the relationship between Islam and the events of September 11?  What tensions, if any, are there between the different cartoons here?  What is your response to these cartoons?

2.  What implied comments do the cartoons make about the Middle East and the Arab-Israeli conflict?  How would you describe the tone of these cartoons?  Are they fair?

3.  What are your own ideas about the relationship between the attacks and a) issues of world religion, and b) the politics of the Middle East?

 

 

STEP 5

View the cartoons in Section VI (George Bush as American Leader).

1.  Compare and contrast the portrayals of President Bush by American and international reporters.

 

 

STEP 6

View the cartoons in Section VII (The View From Abroad).

1.  How do the cartoons in this section compare and contrast with the American cartoons (most, though not all of the cartoons in the other sections are by American cartoonists)

2.  How is the United States portrayed in these cartoons?  What values is it seen as representing?

 

 

STEP 7

1.  Choose the best cartoon in this exercise or find a better cartoon from elsewhere in the world press.  Explain what makes the cartoon so successful.

 

 

STEP 8

1.  Choose one cartoon to which you had a very strong negative reaction.  Analyze the reasons for such a reaction.

 

THE CARTOONS

I.  FACES OF THE ENEMY

A.  OSAMA BIN LADEN

  1. Bin Laden as Plane Puppeteer

  2. "I'd Like to Return These ... and Take These Out

  3. "Why Does Everyone Just Assume My Guilt?"

  4. "Bloody Footprints"

  5. "The FBI's Ten Most Wanted"

  6. "Osama Bin Laden"

  7. Bin Laden as Smoke

  8. "What About Bombing Him Back to the Stone Age?"

  9. "You Can Run to the End of the Earth"

  10. "Suspect: Osama Bin Laden, 'Mother' of All Terrorists"

  11. "The Best Way to View Osama Bin Laden"

  12. "And Make Sure You Get All the Roots"

  13. "Duck Season; Rabbit Season; Bin Laden Season"

  14. "Bad Career Move, Osama"

  15. "That is Bin Laden!"

  16. "How Could My Fingerprints Be All Over the U.S. Attack?"

B.  THE TERRORISTS

  1. "Beats Me ....  It Wasn't Here Last Week"

  2. "Ah, Another Suicide Bomber ...  Welcome to Paradise!"

  3. "The Only 'Good' Terrorist"

  4. Terror Line Up

  5. "Terrorists and National Defense"

  6. "Terrorism"

  7. Searching for Terrorists

  8. "Terrorism"

  9. "Bear With Me -- This May Take A While"

  10. "First, We Must Seek to Understand"

  11. "How Does One Know When You've Gotten Them All?"

 

C.  THE AFGHANS

  1. "My Hands Are Clean"

  2. "We Don't Know Where He Is"

  3. "Bin Laden?  Haven't Seen Him."

  4. "So, My Son, If You Die As A Martyr You Will Be Awarded Seventy Beautiful Women!"

II.  THE UNITED STATES RESPONDS

  1. "In the Light of Recent Events, We're All New Yorkers"

  2. "He's A Uniter.  Not A Divider"

  3. "To Arms, Old Buddy!"

  4. "America Responds...."

  5. "Who's To Blame?"

  6. "They're Risking Their Lives to Save Others"

  7. "The Candlelight Vigil"

  8. "Terrorism and the Bill of Rights"

  9. "Listen, O Great One....  The Americans Have Divided the World Into Those Who Are For Them and Those Who Are Against Them."

  10. "I Saw People On T.V. Celebrating the Terrorist Attacks"

  11. "How Come We Never Know About the People Who Do This?"

  12. Uncle Sam Naked

  13. "Where Do You Wish To Travel To?"

  14. "How Is It Possible That So Much of the World Hates Us?"

  15. "Spend"

 

III.  NATIONAL SYMBOLISM AND HISTORICAL MEMORY

  1. World Trade Center as Flag

  2. "Liberty"

  3. "Just Give Me A Day to Mourn My Dead..."

  4. "Vengeance"

  5. The Eagle Filing His Claws

  6. "Bloody But Unbowed"

  7. "Before and After"

  8. "Awakening A Sleeping Giant, 9--11"

  9. "Terror!  Terror!  Terror!"

  10. Remembering Iwo Jima

  11. "National Day of Prayer"

  12. The Statue of Liberty Crying

  13. "September 11,2001 . . . Infamy"

 

IV.  THE ROLE OF RELIGION

  1. The Crescent Sword Attacks

  2. Praying Towards Mecca?

  3. "It's Time to Declare Holy War on Those Who Profane, Degrade, and Insult Islam!"

  4. Bin Laden Running For the Protection of Islam

  5. "CIA Failure of Intelligence"

  6. "Cultural Clash"

  7. The Sistine Chapel?

  8. "Let Us Pray...."

  9. "Frozen Terrorist Asset"

  10. "They're Using Our Name Again!"

  11. "One Nation Under God, Indivisible"

V.  THE ATTACK AND MIDDLE EAST RELATIONS

  1. "Brothers"

  2. "Welcome, Brother"

  3. "A Day of Terror That ... Made America Seem A Bit More 'Israeli.'"

  4. "Folks, Let's ... Keep the, Uh ... Celebration Down"

  5. "Gee, I Wonder Why America Isn't On Our Side"

  6. "Arab Governments Self-Portrait"

  7. "Look!  Yasser Arafat Gives Blood for Victims!"

VI.  GEORGE BUSH AS AMERICAN LEADER

A.  THE VIEW FROM THE UNITED STATES

  1. "You Have To Admit the President Seems to Have Grown Into His Role"

  2. "Ladies and Gentlemen, The President -- Finally -- of the United States"

  3. "Who Says I Can't Master the Nuances of Foreign Policy?"

  4. Bush Visits the Lincoln Memorial

  5. Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill Applaud

 

B.  INTERNATIONAL DEPICTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT

  1. "On the Other Hand, This Guy Also Makes Us Very Nervous!"

  2. George Bush Bowling

  3. George Bush as Crusader

  4. The Globe as Reluctant Passenger

  5. "Come Mr. Taliban, Gimme Da Bin Laden"

  6. Captain America

  7. "Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Afghanistan ...."

VII.  THE VIEW FROM ABROAD

  1. "Shop 'Til You Drop!" [Canada]

  2. The American Flag on the Moon [Switzerland]

  3. Box--Cutters Versus Nuclear Missiles [Switzerland]

  4. "What Were You Doing Between 8 AM and 11 PM on September 11, 2001?!!" [Switzerland]

  5. "World Terrorism Puzzle" [Switzerland]

  6. "Welcome to the United States of America" [Canada]

  7. "We Won't Be Intimidated By This Crisis [New Zealand]

  8. The Dinosaur Gives Birth [Sweden]

  9. "Wanted" [Chile]

  10. "Against Us or With Us...?"  [Sweden]

  11. National Defense Missile Shield [Iran]

  12. "OK....  Go Get 'Em" [Australia]

  13. "Why Haven't They Discovered A Cure for Hate?"  [Australia]

  14. "Past and Present" [India]

  15. "Goddam Peaceniks Blocking the Viewfinder  [South Africa]

  16. "Run For It! ...  Here Comes Western Civilization!"  [South Africa]

  17. "Did You Feel That?!!!"   [South Africa]

  18. Cutting Off the Branch [Iran]

  19. Planes and Towers