Political Cartoon

This is a cartoon about a possible scenario that may have occurred in the creation of the "Handicap System" seen in the short story Harrison Bergeron. It shows what I think is one of the many problems with the system: It is clearly a bad idea, but anybody who is smart enough to realize this is handicapped, and thus unable to think of a solution. It is a vicious cycle of the worst kind. It also uses the classic humor element of exaggeration. After all, the earphones in the story went off only every 20 seconds, but here the guy is getting cut off by it after every word. Exaggeration can also be used to prove a point about something.

What is a Political Cartoon?

A political cartoon is a comic or cartoon drawing that brings about a social or political message. It's purpose is to convey a theme or idea in a way that is "entertaining" and "funny". It does not do this very well.

The Metamorphosis Chapter 3

1. In Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis", Gregor Samsa, our protagonist, is transformed into a giant bug. We all know this. But what was Kafka trying to tell us by turning the hero into a big bug? First, it was to emphasize what we discussed in Chapter 1's review, that Gregor was being dehumanized by his family and peers. Next, it is to show how we are often scared and unaccepting of new things, especially if we do not understand them. Once Gregor becomes a bug, he is treated as lesser, even though he is still the same person inside. Kafka is also trying to demonstrate how citizens of society, once they are deemed "unsuitable" in any way, are immediately outcast, and eventually forgotten. Society has given up on these people and forsaken all hope of them ever getting better, just like Gregor's family. And just like Gregor's Family, once they realized that they have destroyed a life, they just ignore the consequences and more on.
Hopy shit, that was really philosophical.

2. Sure, it might be interesting to consider how "The Metamorphosis" would have been different if Gregor had been transformed into something like a frog, I don't think that it would have actually ended up in the story. I don't think that any animal other than a cockroach was ever in consideration for Gregor's new form. There wasn't some big list of ugly, hard-to-manage animals that Kafka was narrowing things down from. My guess is that from the moment he had the idea, it was always "Cockroach." His real considerations in writing were mainly things like "How will this Metamorphosis affect Gregor and the people around him?" So the sentence "One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in his bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous amphibian" would never have even crossed his mind, let alone his pen.
White text is fun.

The Metamorphosis Chapter 2

Family is a big deal. It's probably one of the most important parts of your life. But, of course, Families don't always get along. While the occasional squabble is fine and, dare i say it, almost healthy for a family, it's definitely important to make sure that this isn't an all-too-common occurrence. So I've put together a couple of rules for families to follow to help them all get along:

1: Family Comes First. Sure, other things like school or hobbies are important, but they should never get in the way of your family. It is your Number 1 priority to make sure they are okay. After all, if you're not there for them, how can you trust them to be there for you? Gregor's Family is...okay at this. While Gregor and his sister are both reliable, their parents aren't too good at this kind of thing. All they do is take and take from Gregor, never giving anything back. I'd give the Samsas a B- on this one.

2. Think About Others: Sorry guys, but a family isn't just your own big pack of servants. There are other people here with their own ideas and dreams, and you have to acknowledge those. Parents should not think of their offspring as a way to live vicariously, and children shouldn't think of Mom and Dad as nothing more than glorified butlers. This is one of the bigger problems in the Samsa household. Gregor's father forces him to give up being a stock broker just so that the family could have a more apparent source of income, and barely acknowledges Greta's violin skills. In this case, they get a D.

3. Communication Is Key: It's easy for families to grow apart. One day you're closer than ever and the next it seems like you're not even related. One great way to stop this from happening is to communicate with each other. There are many great ways to facilitate communication; have dinner together at home, going out for a little trip, even playing a board game every once in a while can help keep the family together. Gregor's family is a little hard to grade in this category. While it seems that Gregor and his parents don't speak much, we never see what goes on at home without him, so it's hard to gauge how much or how little the rest of the family talks. I'll go with a B on this one.

4.Be On Their Side: Your family is not the enemy. They are your friends. Try to treat them that way. This means encouraging people to follow their dreams, consoling them when they have a bad day, and having their back when they get picked on. Basically, provide them with Emotional Support. The Samsas are, big surprise, not very good at this. Even though he's earning their bread and butter, Gregor's parents don't really support him in any way. They used the shower him with praise for all his hard work, but as it all turned to routine, the adulation gradually faded away. Even worse, once Gregor undergoes his horrible transformation, his father immediately disowns him and only keeps him around at the request of his mother. The Samsas get a C- for this, bringing their grand total to a C. Better Luck Next Time, Guys!

The Metamorphosis Chapter 1

Even before he is transformed into something definitely not human, Gregor Samsa has been feeling dehumanized for quite a while now. The troubles start at home. For a while now, Gregor has been used by his family as a tool. They are having him work to pay off their own debt, since they lack the mental capabilities to go out and work for themselves. They have him work like a dog to pay off the debt that he had little or no part in. Despite all this work Gregor does for his family, his father never treats him with the respect he deserves.

The mistreatment continues at work. Every day, Gregor has to work ridiculous hours, and is never given any lenience in his schedule. Every day, he has to "cope with the problems of travelling, the worries about train connections, irregular bad food, temporary and constantly changing human relationships, which never come from the heart." He is constantly put on the spot by his boss. And to top it all off, no matter how hard he works, he can never satisfy the management. It seems that cockroach or not, Gregor Samsa is never given the dignity he deserves.