Question

Study the cartoon Our Carbon Footprint by Signe Wilkinson.

A drawing of the Gulf of Mexico. A giant black footprint is in the middle of it. The caption reads "Our carbon footprint."

How does exaggeration create meaning in this cartoon?

The small flamingo and fish show the insignificance of wildlife.
Many of the animals in the cartoon are covered in oil, showing the extent of the oil spill.
The water is bright, showing that our effect on the environment is not as bad as seems.
The enormous footprint shows the extensive damage of the oil spill to the environment.

Answer 1

The enormous footprint shows the extensive damage of the oil spill to the environment.

The exaggerated, giant black footprint functions as a metaphor for humanity’s “carbon footprint” (and related pollution), visually emphasizing how huge and overwhelming our environmental impact is compared with the tiny, affected wildlife.