New York Times cartoon Marshall Plan

1. 'Can he block it?' This cartoon was
drawn c.1947 by Edwin Marcus,
caricaturist for the New York Times.

2. What is the message of this cartoon?

3. To do this question, you
need first to borrow two
concepts from English:
Denotation
(what you see)
Connotation
(how it affects its audience)
'Can he block it?' This cartoon was
drawn c.1947 by Edwin Marcus,
caricaturist for the New York Times.

4. The ball labelled ‘Marshall Plan’ is
heading for the basket labelled
‘European Recovery’.
Scoring a basket carries
connotations of skill, triumph and
success.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning
The Marshall Plan is the USA’s
brilliant idea which will get the
European economy going again.
'Can he block it?' This cartoon was
drawn c.1947 by Edwin Marcus,
caricaturist for the New York Times.

5. Stalin – playing for the USSR –
is trying to block the basket and
stop the USA scoring.
Stalin is ‘the opposition’ – the spoiler.
Denotation
Connotation
Meaning
Stalin not only wants to stop the
Marshall Plan – he wants thereby
wreck the European economic
recovery it would bring.
'Can he block it?' This cartoon was
drawn c.1947 by Edwin Marcus,
caricaturist for the New York Times.

6. Finally, always remember
to look at:
Origin
(who drew it)
Date
(when it was published)
'Can he block it?' This cartoon was
drawn c.1947 by Edwin Marcus,
caricaturist for the New York Times.

7. 'Can he block it?' This cartoon was
drawn c.1947 by Edwin Marcus,
caricaturist for the New York Times.
Sometime after June 1947.
In July 1947, Stalin instructed the
Iron Curtain countries to refuse
Marshall Aid.
Date
Details
Significance
Marcus sees Soviet opposition as
an active attempt to oppose the
USA – i.e. he sees the developing
Cold War as a competition between
the superpowers.

8. 'Can he block it?' This cartoon was
drawn c.1947 by Edwin Marcus,
caricaturist for the New York Times.
The American cartoonist
Edwin Marcus.
Marcus’s cartoons were given a
full page and were important in
shaping American attitudes.
Origin
Details
Significance
It is biased against the USSR, but it
tells us how Americans were feeling
at the time.