Visual Satire as a Mode of Political Protest: A Social Semiotic Analysis of Anti-Trump Political Cartoons

Abstract

This study investigates visual satire as a way of political protest in anti- Trump political cartoon images. The data are four satirical cartoon images collected from various internet websites to criticize Trump’s authority and public image. The study adopts the social semiotic model developed by kress and Van Leeuwen (2006) Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. The analysis focuses on how visual elements such as color, framing, social distance, facial expressions and symbolic objects work together with verbal signs to deliver political messages. The findings indicate that visual satire is a powerful technique used to express political resistance and shape public opinion. The cartoon images depict Trump as irresponsible, authoritarian and socially harmful by using irony, exaggeration, and negative symbolism. Consequently, the study concludes that satirical cartoon images aren’t only artistic expressions, but also ideological instruments that reflect public protest.