Question

Study the editorial cartoon by Bill Mauldin.

A dilapidated schoolhouse sits in darkness. Pieces of the schoolhouse are strewn about and the "public school" sign is hanging crookedly.

How does the atmosphere around the school contribute to the effectiveness of the cartoon's message?

The disarray in front shows that public schools have suffered harsh weather damages.
The abandoned schoolhouse with an eerie background dramatizes the loss of public schools.
The element of disrepair shows readers that this schoolhouse was not built well.
The haunted theme makes the reader believe that public schools are ghostly places.

Answer 1

The abandoned schoolhouse with an eerie background dramatizes the loss of public schools.

It uses neglect and gloom to symbolize decline and abandonment, not literal weather damage, poor construction, or that schools are ghostly.