Rhetorical Analysis Of A Cartoon: Going For A Walk

Metaphorical Analysis of a Cartoon: Going for a Walk
In a world that has become completely centered around the technological achievements of man, one can easily forget about the impact the internet has had on our society. However, one cannot deny its usefulness in spreading ideas to an unimaginably large audience. In the midst of the social media crisis, phones have taken the forefront in criticism. There are many satirical interpretations regarding addiction to phones, but one in particular stood out for its powerful message.

The image above was created by Steve Cutts, a British artist who has published much of his work to news and blog outlets. At first glance the author floods the reader with multiple messages, which can only be understood
It gives rise to the idea of how technology is an agent exerting control, and ultimately power over the user. As many are familiar with, cell phones and the internet have rapidly been expanding in both capabilities and size, further integrating into our modern-day society. Because of how fast their advancements have been, and how useful it is as a resource, human dependency on it has only grew with little signs of stopping. However, artists like Cutt are using social media to make a negative statement about itself, through the creation of digital works published on high-traffic websites. So long as readers are capable of recognizing the characteristics of satire, the whole intent of the piece can be
After studying each walking individual in the picture, we also notice the physical size of each walker, as well as their identities and order of procession. The smallest animal on the lease is a mouse, which is on a leash being held by the cat. The cat is leased by the dog, the dog the person, and finally the person by the phone. In English, mice are primarily associated as prey to the cat, and cats have a notoriously conflicting relationship with dogs. Dogs are seen as loyal companions to man. From these initial pairings, we can infer that the author has arranged the order of who walks who according to established perceptions of dominance, with the mice being the weakest of the line, followed by the cat, dog, and humans. The input spaces of this instance is Walking on Leash, Dominance, and Physical size. These all contribute elements to the new space (Figure 1). After observing the connections between different elements of each space mapping onto the new area, we notice how a new idea is created from the three inputs--owners are stronger in power because they give commands, hence they are larger in size and superior, while pets are weaker in power because they obey commands, and are therefore smaller in size and inferior. This idea, while previously unestablished, has been born after combining a selection of attributes in a meaningful way. A new paradigm of control emerges, emphasizing dominance versus