Editorial cartoons and internet memes have become powerful ways to communicate visually in today’s world, where we are constantly bombarded with information. They capture the essence of our daily lives and break down complex issues into easy-to-understand, often funny formats. Despite their differences, both types of media use conceptual metaphor to clarify ideas, critique what is happening around us, and connect with viewers. Editorial cartoons, usually created by professional artists and published in established media outlets, have a long-standing tradition of providing political commentary, whereas memes, which can be created and disseminated by anyone with an internet connection, offer a more accessible, humorous, relatable and participatory way for everyone to express themselves. Both rely on conceptual metaphor to affect public discourse, challenge mainstream views, and encourage viewers to think critically about various events and experiences (Zibin, 2022).

Editorial cartoons, drawn artistically, usually target readers of newspapers, and aim for more serious reflection on issues. They employ conceptual metaphor to condense various sociopolitical situations into impactful single-panel illustrations. Cartoonists employ a variety of source domains (vehicle) to represent target concepts (tenor), drawing upon metaphors such as fighting coronavirus is a war, an election is a game, human behavior is animal behavior, and cybercrime law is handcuffs restricting freedom of speech (Zibin, 2022; Bader et al., in progress; ElShami, Al Shuaibi, and Zibin; Zibin et al. 2024). The specific choice of source domain depends on the message the cartoonist aims to convey and the cultural context in which they are working. The effectiveness of these metaphors arises from their reliance on visually-driven imagery and cross-modal mappings, where the visual source interacts with a verbal target (Zibin, 2022). Monomodal metaphors (relying on visual or verbal cues) can be more creatively ambiguous and open to interpretation, yet multimodal metaphors, which combine both visual and verbal elements, are often easier for a wider audience to understand, as they provide multiple entry points for comprehension (Jahameh & Zibin, 2023).

Metaphors in editorial cartoons often address sensitive situations, such as war, cultural or socio-political issues, using satire and symbolism to communicate their message. For instance, in a cartoon by Osama Hajjaj (Jordanian Cartoonist)  uses the image of finding petrol in Jordan only after it is no longer needed because of AI-powered technologies. This employs a metaphor of mismatched timing, capturing the feeling of perpetually being out of sync with economic relief, a common anxiety in the face of fluctuating prices.  Conversely, in a cartoon by Emad Hajjaj (Jordanian Cartoonist) the criticism of Donald Trump's nomination for the Nobel Prize employs the metaphor of delusion, positioning the nomination as so far removed from reality as to be absurd. The irony is further amplified by the fact that Netanyahu, himself facing an arrest warrant from the ICC, nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. This highlights the disconnect between the pursuit of peace and the ongoing war in Gaza fueled in part by Trump's approval of financial support for Israel. In another cartoon by Emad, the famine in Gaza and Netanyahu’s “ultimate victory” employ metaphors of inhumanity and cruelty. The cartoon depicts Netanyahu on a tank crossing over (or even under) a distorted version of the Arc de Triomphe,  which is constructed from the bodies of starving Gazans. This visual metaphor is brutal in its condemnation, using the iconic symbol of victory and triumph to highlight the devastating human cost of the war and to accuse the leader of achieving power through the suffering of civilians. Thus, metaphors employed in cartoons can provoke critical reflection on significant political and social events, exposing the contradictions and hypocrisies within international relations.

Internet memes, on the other hand, short, are  informal, simply drawn or extracted images or videos with text overlays, shared widely on social media. They target the general public, especially internet users, often aiming for viral sharing. Memes draw on the same cognitive mechanism of metaphor (see Forceville, 2009), but their creation and circulation are driven by everyday users. As ElShami et al. (2023) have shown, meme creators often maximize contextual effects while minimizing processing time. This means that they attempt to pack as much meaning and relevance as possible into their memes, but at the same time they ensure that the message is understandable and requires minimal cognitive effort to decode. The main characteristics of metaphors used in memes include common source domains, word-image incompatibility, and intertextual links (referring to previous discourse), which makes them accessible to a broad audience. Both types also rely on multimodal use of pictorial source–verbal target, where images are accompanied by texts for clarification (Zibin, 2022).

Memes often employ humor to lightly poke fun at cultural norms or provide sharp critiques of social events, using metaphors inspired by current events, pop culture, or internet trends to connect with a wide audience. In one meme, the reality of the Jordanian Parliamentary elections 2024 is criticized by depicting a vote being thrown in the trash, signifying its meaninglessness (Bader et al., in progress). Another meme implicitly refers to the Israeli war on Gaza by depicting Jordanians rejoicing over a “severe security incident” targeting Israeli soldiers, using intersexual links to the animated cartoon Dexter's Laboratory.

One of the key elements that makes both editorial cartoons and memes so effective as tools for satire is their use of humor. Through employing wit, irony, and absurdity, creators can engage audiences on an emotional level, making their commentary more memorable and impactful. Humor also serves as a defense mechanism, allowing creators to address sensitive or controversial topics in a way that is less likely to offend or alienate viewers. Another important factor in the success of cartoons and memes is their use of cultural references. Creators can establish a sense of connection with their audience, which makes their commentary more relevant and relatable using shared knowledge, experiences, and values. The use of cultural aspects in both editorial cartoons and memes helps reflect the culture of the content creators, attracting more viewers through recognizable symbols and imagery (see Forceville, 2017).

Metaphors used in editorial cartoons and internet memes are powerful tools for visual communication, capable of influencing public discourse and perception. Using metaphor, humor, and cultural references, creators can engage audiences on an emotional level, making their commentary more memorable and impactful. As Zibin (2022), Zibin and Altakhaineh (2023), ElShami et al. (2023), and Zibin, et al. (2024) have shown, analyzing how metaphor operates in these visual formats provides a window into the ways by which individuals and communities make sense of the world. Examining the function of metaphor in cartoons and memes can help us gain a better understanding of the art of the everyday and the power of visual communication.

References:

• Bader, C., Altakhaineh, A.R.M., and Zibin, A. (in progress). Content analysis of metaphors in political memes related to 2024 Parliamentary Jordanian elections on X.
• ElShami, T. H. S., Shuaibi, J. A., & Zibin, A. (2023). The function of metaphor modality in memes on Jordanian Facebook pages. SAGE Open, 13(1), 1-24.
• Forceville, C. (2009). Non-verbal and multimodal metaphor in a cognitivist framework: Agendas for research. In C. Forceville & E. Urios-Aparisi (eds.), Multimodal Metaphor (pp. 19-35). De Gruyter Mouton. 
• Forceville, C. (2017). Visual and multimodal metaphor in advertising: Cultural perspectives. Styles of Communication, 9(2), 26-41.
• Jahameh, H., & Zibin, A. (2023). The use of monomodal and multimodal metaphors in advertising Jordanian and American food products on Facebook: A comparative study. Heliyon, 9(5).
• Zibin, A. (2022). Monomodal and multimodal metaphors in editorial cartoons on the coronavirus by Jordanian cartoonists. Linguistics Vanguard, 8(1), 383-398.
• Zibin, A., & Altakhaineh, A. R. M. (2023). A blending analysis of metaphors and metonymies used to depict the deal of the century by Jordanian cartoonists. Language and Cognition, 15(2), 377-404.
• Zibin, A., Altakhaineh, A. R. M., Abuanzeh, A., & Kabbaha, A. A. (2024). Jordanians’ Perceptions and Attitudes Toward the Amended Cyber Crime Law in Jordan: A Visual and Multimodal Analysis. International Journal for the Semiotics of Law-Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique, 37(7), 2175-2191.