
America is a unique case where a still young country has risen to be a world power. One factor that can be attributed to this success is its government. A democratic republic, influenced by other countries past and present governments, but still remaining very unique. America has the oldest written constitution still in use today, it is flexible allows for change, and is regarded highly by the citizens of the country it governs. America has a very successful governmental system, but why? Possibly, it could be because of the citizen’s involvement in the government, how there is an open conversation between the leaders and the followers. But with the communication comes disagreement, and naturally, conflict. There seems to always be conflict between the people and their government, yet it still works, their system has not crashed and burned. The constant fight between the American people and the government is a necessary and unavoidable circumstance of the governmental structure, which is shown through panels from The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaption with its use of colors, symbolism, and shot types. 

The first panel (see fig 1) uses longshots, symbolism, and imagery to highlight that the struggle between the two opposing forces, the government and the people, has always and will always persist. The fight between the government and its people has been an ongoing and long winded fight. This is prevalent in the first panel, where a fight between two people is taking place. The panel is in the style of a long shot, where one can clearly see both fighters in their entirety. This shot allows the cartoonist to tell more of the story through the fighter’s body language and appearance. For instance, the man to the left who represents the people looks disheveled and tired. This look further shows how this has been an ongoing fight; with his tie over his shoulder, sweat dripping from his head, and an emotional passion shown through his facial expressions. This is in contrast the fighter who represents the government, who looks calm, orderly, and composed. His tie is where it should be, he is not sweating, and his head is a building so he is faceless, showing no emotion. This shot also allows the reader to see that this is a fight that has been happening for a long time, indicated by the scuff marks on the ground. The inclusion of this makes the fight seem more long winded, adding wear and tear to the floor they are on. The scuff marks symbolize that it is a struggle that always has and always will be going on. Also the fact that the scuff marks are in the middle of the ring show that it is an even fight, taking place mostly in the center. The positioning of the marks shows how both the government and the people are equal forces at war, almost like a version of yin and yang. They are opposite forces that complement each other, interdependent in the world. One important feature of the panel is the man swinging back at the government. This aggression shows how there is an actual fight going on and that it is not just the government. Our government is designed to allow the people to fight back, to give them a say in how they are governed. Without the ability to push back against the government, soon one side falls. A government closed off from the people leads to imbalance, and imbalance cannot sustain. 

This panel also uses very vivid colors to show the intensity of the fight between the people and the government. One of the indicator that this is a heated battle is the crowd in the background. They are colored in warm colors and seem angry. The warm colors support the fact that the crowd are upset in some way, as well as them throwing stuff and holding signs, which usually means protesting. The hostility represents any dissatisfaction the people have with the current system. Politics can be a very passionate subject for people, which is well reflected by the warm red used to depict the crowd. In fact, one of the most prominent features of the frame is the coloring. It is predominantly warm colors, which invokes feelings of aggression, supporting the statement that this is a fight. Also, the amount of warm colors used in the panel insists that this is a very aggressive, very important fight, either side being very passionate about the outcome. Everything in the panel is colored in warm colors, except the government and the ropes. The coloring seems to suggest that it is the government against everybody, seeing as the opponent is in warm colors along with the crowd who is completely red. Also the wires are not in warm colors, suggesting that they represent something or someone on the side of the government like the three branches of government, one rope for each branch. The rope is what separates the crowd from entering the fight, and if it were gone would lead to the government being outnumbered and losing the fight. This represents how our government is set up to allow the back and forth to take place without everything falling apart, if the three branches disappeared, our government would fall just as the fighter in the ring if the ropes were not there. The ropes allow for a fair fight, the people outnumber the government, so the three branches help satisfy the people and let any disputes be settled in a fairer way. Both sides of this fight have power and should freely express it to fuel the everlasting fight.

Through the use of warm and cool colors, over the shoulder shots, and facial expressions, the second panel (see fig 2) expresses that the government sometimes has the upper hand and makes the people feel powerless and out matched. The people that make up the government have dedicated their lives to learning and understanding bureaucracy, and use it to empower themselves and the government. This is something the majority of the governed do not fully understand and it makes it seem as if it is an uphill fight to get their way in government. This is displayed in the panel with the big black man busting through the brick wall. The black guy emphasizes the power the government has and displays upon the governed. The black guy represents the power of the constitution and how the government uses it to their advantage. The text “CRASH” and the background behind the wall are colored in warm colors to show action and aggression, and make the black guy seem more powerful and intimidating. All this depicts how the governments knowledge of how to use the constitution is overwhelming. To some it can be very intimidating, as such a sturdy argument is hard to dispute. Also included in the panel is a guy surprised and/or scared by the sudden breach in the wall. He has a surprised look on his face, is sweating, and is shown moving backwards. His body language represents how the people are sometimes unprepared to face the government. The people are fighting against an institution whose job revolves around legal matters, seemingly leaving them at a disadvantage. The use of color in this panel differs from the use of colors in the previous panel. The warm colors used to depict the guy are cooler than in the first panel, suggesting that there is less conflict here. People are less likely to fight if they feel outnumbered or outmatched, symbolized in the less vibrant color scheme. The man on the left is discouraged to take any aggressive actions because of the power of the government. The government has the knowledge and ability to turn a fight around. All the man depicting the government had to do was lift a finger and he was given a huge advantage. While in contrast, the man on the left has the bird, which in this panel seems powerless and insignificant. Despite its attempts to maybe intimidate the man, indicated by it trying to muster a loud cry, it is ignored, as none of the three people in the shot seem to focus on it. But the man behind the wall is the opposite, he has a more intense palate of warm colors, showing readiness, aggression, and acting as an imposing figure, something the man on the left seems to lack in this panel compared to the previous one. This represents the belief that the people often go unheard, that when they talk, the government shouts and their thoughts and opinions are soon forgotten. This panel also includes an over the shoulder shot, putting the focus mostly on the guy on the left and the black guy busting through the wall on the right. Even though the person depicting the government is the center of the panel, it’s the effect he has on the rest of the panel that is the focus. On the right is a buff man surrounded in warm colors crashing through a brick wall, summoned at the government’s request, with text popping out at the reader. On the left is a man with a small bird who is both scared and surprised, almost trying to slink away from the event happening in front of him. The man’s reaction shows how it is not the government the people’s attention can sometimes be focused on, but on the shadow the government casts, the effect they leave upon the people. The government has the ability to create diversions. The shift from the first panel to this one shows how the man depicting the government was able to divert the man’s attention away from him. This panel also has a semi-reciprocal shot. It shows how the government had planned for this event, and how the guy was utterly surprised. Here the governments attention is focused on the guy, while the guy’s attention is focused on the man busting through the wall. The government will always seem more powerful than the people, it is how it was made, and because of this some people fall under the false belief that they are powerless to the government.

The use of a bird’s eye view shot, a greater use of cool colors, and positioning in the panel in the third panel (see fig 3) shows that the people still have power as the fight was made for push and pull, it was made to allow the people to fight back. We have a government that allows for the governed to help dictate how they are governed, a right sometimes forgotten by the people. They have a belief that the government is in absolute control, what they say goes. The people leave the politics to the politicians and feel as if they are powerless. This sentiment is displayed in the bottom left hand side of this panel, where the three branches of government are seen plugging in an electrical outlet. Here they are shown outnumbering and are closer to plugging in their cords into the only outlet available. This symbolizes how people see the government and policies they put into action. There is only one outlet, one solution and the government looks as if they are closer to getting what they want. It is also three against one, showing how the government is more prepared to get what they want, and have the knowledge and ability to achieve it. It makes it seem as if the people are always at a disadvantage. Another feature of the panel is the overwhelming presence of cool colors, especially in comparison to the previous two panels. Here everything follows the depiction of the governments color scheme except for the bird and its cord. The coloring depicts how the world of politics seems to be ruled and dominated by the government. If the governed want a policy or law changed, they have to step into their world and play on their field. This lack of control can scare some, causing them back down. The fact that they have to play by the governments rules makes it seem as if they are at a disadvantage. But, to contrast the rest of the panel, there is the bird and the cord it is holding. Here they seem to be penetrating the monochromatic color scheme with the use of implied lines, warm colors, and positioning of the bird. This panel uses a bird’s eye view, looking down upon the three branches of government as the bird swoops in. It suggests that the bird is coming down to help, hinting at a religious undertone to showcase the intent of the bird, which here represents the people. The government is shown at the bottom of the panel, giving off the feeling of them being some form of evil or having mal intent. The warm colors, positioning, type of shot, and even text help depict the bird as a hero, coming to help correct what has gone astray. This bird is representing the people fighting back, entering the governments playing field, and asserting themselves as a prominent force in politics. People have the power to make a difference in their government, but they need to overcome the seemingly overwhelming influence their government has.

 It is not the outcome that really matters here, it’s the struggle that leads to it. These comics use different color pallets, shot angles, symbols, and positioning to show that the fight is what is important, to show that this is an ongoing battle, one that has always been and always will be prevalent. This is how our government was created, to allow the fight to rage on and never stop. The purpose of the system is to encourage citizen involvement, to allow the government to balance its self. Our government was designed to be an everlasting fight between the government and the governed, as a way of making sure there is a balance between the two forces.
