Over the years, America has changed. It has evolved, transformed, and grown. Many things have come out better because of technology, and new methods. One thing that has not changed, however, is the classroom and how it is taught. Looking up any picture of a classroom from the first to the latest, it’s all the same. A teacher, pointed to a board or slide, and students writing and reading it. The thing is, not all students are the same, as the image shows. Using basic animals that appeal to childhood emotions, simplistic drawings, and a somewhat “easy” task, this images shows the viewer what’s wrong with teaching, how everyone learns the same and is tested the same and is brought up doing the same things, yet all people are not the same, and it does it all in a simple yet effective way.

One of the first things children learn at very young age are animals and animal sounds. The basic cat goes “meow”, dog goes “bark”, so on and so forth… the author uses basic animals that are so well programmed into the brain, like a monkey for example, to emotionally catch the viewers eye and attention. Using these simple animals, the author takes the picture to a child-like view, which makes it so much more powerful after the viewer reads the caption and understands just what a good point the author has made. If the task is to climb a tree; anybody knows a fish or an elephant stands no chance, yet as a student people will see so many different types of personalities, traits, and thought processes throughout variety of different students, just like how a fish and elephant are so different. So why then, are they all being tested the same way? There’s no real way to attribute a specific animal to a specific type of student, but for the point being say a fish is an artistic, left-minded human. They are not going to get mathematics and science the same way a right minded, factually wired student may. So why then, is the classroom the same for everyone. The author just appealed to childhood emotions to relate a very powerful topic to a majority of its viewers.

The task itself is another powerful tool. This one, however, appeals to childhood logic, using a simplistic task, simplistic in the loosest sense of the word, to demonstrate how something so easy is not so easy for everyone. It’s so powerful the sense of irony “climb that tree” creates when applied the way it is in the image. “Climb that tree,” huh, seems easy enough. Just grab a hold of a branch and get up there. Wait, and elephant can’t climb a tree, but yet it is supposed to do the same test as the rest of the animals? That’s when it hits the viewer. On first glance “climb that tree” is easy. No one would ever become famous for climbing a tree. No one would come to collect that person’s name, congratulate them, and reward them. But if someone saw an elephant in a tree that would be insane, it would surely spark intrigue and wonder, yet there are students that are “elephants” in the school system doing just as well as “monkeys” for no extra recognition on their accomplishments. The worse of the two however, are the “elephants” being scolded and turned down by society because they can’t bridge that gap between them and the “monkeys” abilities. It’s truly incredible how the author using three- one syllable and basic words has created such a stark and powerful idea. That’s really the beauty of it honestly. If the line hadn’t been so bland, and the animals so relatable this wouldn’t nearly have the effect it does as it wouldn’t relate to even close to the number of people captured by it.

The last thing a viewer can respect about the author’s image is the drawing. Political cartoons have used simple drawings for years to make fun of the targeted people in a way that the majority can understand. The author of this image has spun that around in a way, using the basic drawings to illustrate a very complex problem. Black and white keeps viewers that aren’t the deep thinking type in, it’s almost sneaky how people have to double take on the image and realize “wow it does make me think”. The author just did an amazing job at keeping the drawing relatable, it was so key to making the image work.

So, through the use of basic animals, the author appealed to the viewer’s childhood emotions. He captured the viewer, and drew them in. Now interested, the author used a simple task that creates massive irony to bring about his issues with the school system and the way people are tested. He drove it home with basic drawings, black and white and basic lines to really make viewers ponder. All in all, the piece was full of visual and grammatical effects that gave it the ability it had at capturing viewers. The piece is intriguing, well thought out, and brings up such a big issue that sat right under the public’s nose, so to say. It is powerful and worthwhile, and a fantastic visual element.