FAIR GAME: CANADIAN EDITORIIAL CARTOONING Adrieme C,Lamb Graduate School of Journalism Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Faculty of Graduate Studies The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario April, 1998 Adrieme C. Lamb 1998 National tibmiy Bibliothèque nationale I*l ofCanada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington OüawaON K1AW ûttawaON KIAON4 canada Canada Tne author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence dowing the exclusive permettant à la National Libmy of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains owxiership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thése. thesis nor substaatial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. This thesis is about people and politics, art and history, visuai satire, and current affairs. It traces the development of Canada's editorid cartooning heritage over the last one hundred and fifty years and examines the conternporary Canadian editorial cartooning scene as well. This author's main objective is to tum the tables on the editoriai cartoonists in Canada by rnaking them fair game and the subject of study Eom both a historical and a contemporary perspective. The contribution to knowledge this thesis offers is the periodization of political cartooning and the process by which the periods change. The findings are important because the Canadian editorial cartooning tradition is currently reshaping and, in some ways, dying. We must understand the changes that are taking place in this visual representation of Canadian culture. The theoretical fiamework compares contemporary Canadian political cartoonists to the medieval court jester. Many contemporary factors, including syndication, media concentration, freelancing, and downsizing, are leaving their mark on one of the oldest modes of communication. Editoriai cartooning currently stands at a crossroads. This thesis examines the past and presents a road map to the future of editorial cartooning in Canada. Heartfelt thanks are extended to the Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Alan Weedon; Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Martin Kreiswirth; and Dr. Roma Harris, Vice- Provoa and Registrar, who made this work a reality. These individuals took the tirne and consideration to focus on the needs of one student; for that, I am grateful. 1 offer thanks for the fùnding provided by the Rogers and Consumers Association of Canada Research Scholarship, which allowed me to conduct my work; to Thunder Bay Television's Gary Rinne and BqThird; and to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Tom Grand for employing me during the final phase of this project. The departmental support 1 received nom Anne Murphy, David Mills, Wendie Crouch, Lori Dos Santos, and Cindy Morrisor, ho collectively and constantly encouragsd tenacity, tenacity, tenacity, has been tremendous. Robert Martin, Liwen Vaughan, Gillian Michel, Judith Knelrnan, Michael Nolan, Doug Baer, and David Murphy also assisted in the research and development of this enterprise. Thanks must go to a support network consisting of John Mplias, len O 'Rourke, William Macpherson, Toby Cockcroft and Philip Schneider. Warm thanks are also extended to Darcy Scott and copy editor Barb Elwen, both of whorn kept me on track. It is obvious that without the cooperation of editoriai cartoonists and inte~ew sources, this thesis would lack credibility. My thanks go to the artists, politicians, and scholars on whom 1 have relied. They are listed alphabetically in the Works Consuited portion of this text. Thanks also go to Dr. David R. Spencer, who has been an advisor in the best and truest meaning of the term. His devotion to quality control and steadfast cornmitment to academic integrity has taught me more about research, academic writing, and my own progress as a scholar than perhaps he knows. Thanks also to Dr. Roger Hall of the History Department and Dr. Don Abelson of the Political Science Department of the University of Western Ontario who assisted in the approval of this work and to Dr. Madeline Lemon, who has been an excellent role mode1 and mentor during the past six years. Finally, thanks to rny parents, Bob and Joyce Lamb, and my sisters, Hollie and Victoria. On virtually every major gift-giving holiday, and, sometimes for no reason at dl, they would present me with a collection of cartoons, knowing my desire to read real books was low but my desire to understand, imagine, and create was high. 1am the most grateful to my father, who, through my grade-school career, took dozens of days off fiom work to drive the eight hundred kilometres to b~gme to an eyecare specidist in the hopes of improving rny vision as weiI as my reading and writùig skills. I am also indebted to my mother, who, through those years, sat beside me at the kitchen table and corrected my speliing and gammar, always with the patience of an instnictor of Me. It is because of these individuals that this work is complete and that I can now take pnde in its accornplishment. The sense of seif-worth that goes with the achievement of a task of this magnitude is immense, but it does not equal the extravagant support to which this thesis is duly dedicated. Page Title page Certificate of Examination Abstract Acknowiedgements Table of Contents Chapter One Placing the Poison Pen: AR Introduction Behind the Lines: A Source Review Political Cartoonists as Twentieth-Century Court Jesters Çhapter Two Before There Was Canada, There Was Cartooning Thomas Nast: Amerka Through Cartoons A Child Eom the Tenements: R. F. Outcault's "The Yellow Kid" Chapter Three Before Bengough: The Canadian Cartooning Landscape The Pun 1s Mightier Than The Sword: I. W. Bengough Besides Bengough: The FUst Wave of Canadian Cartoonists Chaoter Four A Blot In The Ink: The Downward Trend in Canadian Cartooning Continues Duncan Macpherson: The Clown Prince of Canadian Cartooning Across Canada, The High Continues: Editorial Cartoonists Ride The Second Wave Chapter Five The Third Wave: Filling in the Sketch Some Farniliar Pens: Third-Wave Editorial Cartoonists The Garne 1s Up: The Changing Face of Canadian Cartooning A Conclusion: Completing The Sketch Figures Works Consulted Vita PLACING THE POISON PEN: AN INTRODUCTION The court jester in medieval England was a valued member of society (Morris 7). The fool often posed as the alter ego for the politically elite, attacking the ruling class with witîy barbs and clever riddles. Contemporary Canadian editorial cartoonists are the modern version of the court jester; they lambast the political elite. Editorial cartoonists create the most effective satirical tool by relaying visual messages the written word ca~ot convey as forcefùlly or directly. With a single image, cartoonists can make a statement with their "poison pens" that will outlast the subject or the event (Harrison 13). AIthough they occupy only a small corner of our daily lives, editorial cartoons represent much more. They are cultural indicators of Canadian values, traditions, and opinions. This author's main objective is to tum the tables on the editorial cartoonists in Canada by making them fair garne and the subject of study from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. The contribution to knowledge this thesis offers is the periodization of political caiiooning and the process by which the periods change. The historical component of this study examines the nch tradition that this visual satire represents, whereas the contemporary component focuses on the current environment that could render editoriai cartooning a dying art. Canada's strong cartooning beritage dates back more than a century, thanks in part to weekly satincd magazines such as Punch in Canada and Grip. These magazines launched the careers of such men as I. H. Walker and J. W. Bengough, who paved the way for present-day newspapers to be visually, intellectually, and cornically enhanced (Desbarats, "Cartoons" 3 75). This thesis is significant for two reasons. First, it is current, Canadian based and well researched. Aside from a scant collection ofjournal articles, statistical data, and books by individuais such as Peter Desbarats and Terry Mosher, the research and interpretation of Canadian political cartooning has not been an academic main course Pesbarats and Mosher 1 ;Jocks 15 1; Morris 1). instead, political cartoon anaiysis has remained a satirical side dish, ofien included solely for visual appeal and amusement in history, politicai science, art, and even philosophy texts. From high-profile business presentations to the bathroom wall, the Canadian political cartoon, although admittedly appreciated on several levels, has not been examined to its full potential. This projed is designed to correct that oversight. The thesis is aiso significant because many changes that dldirectly impact on editoriai cartoons wiil be occumng in the media and more specifically, in the newspaper industry. It is essential we recognize, andyze, and chart these changes. The fact is that political and editorial cartoons have dtered their style, technology, content, medium, message, and meaning over the last one hundred and fifly yean. In fact, a shifk in aimost al1 of the elements of editorial cartooning has occurred. There are many dynamic aspects to be examined in regard to where and how far Canadians have corne in this respect. TBE CAME PLAN: TBE STUDY'S DIRECTION The physicai structure of this thesis follows the course established by the outline of the main objective to study editorial cartoonists and cartooning in Canada from both a hiaorical and a contemporary perspective.