Great Wall of China

Jessica Ruiz-Jones

ENG 299

02/01/2014

The Great Wall of China has long represented the unification of the country and its separation from the rest of the world (China). The culture and way of life in this country is far different than what is experience in the United States. While their status as a second world country has put limitations on the quality of life, thousands of American jobs have been outsourced to take advantage of the lower cost of manufacturing done in China, and, since the 1990’s when the U.S. economy was in much better condition, U.S. citizens have experienced significant negative impacts (Christian). A picture is worth a thousand words, and Adam Zyblis does an excellent job depicting how the very wall that China has long used to set itself apart from the world can also represent the division their products have caused between the U.S. consumer and local manufacturers.

The main figure of this cartoon is the endless wall of foreign products. The viewer is drawn to the labeling on the box, and Zyblis makes a point by only including two phrases: “Cheap” and “Made in China” (Cagle). This begins his visual argument that things made in China are cheap. You get what you pay for, and, indeed, the quality of many of these products is compromised. Next, the viewer notices the two characters, the consumer and the manufacturer. The artist used pathos to invoke sympathy for the manufacturer who is pictured standing emotionless on one side of the wall. He seems to know the future of his career is in jeopardy as he stares at the looming wall in front of him. The viewer can detect an appeal to ethos when they examine the consumer. He looks at the wall with an expression of deliberation. Pushing an empty shopping cart, he examines the options available. The fact that the cart is still empty indicates that he is hesitant to contribute to the growing outsourcing, yet he came to the store for something and wants to leave with it. The viewer observes him in a moment of ethical conflict.

The organization of the images is conducive in driving the point home. Having the wall centered and dominating the attention of the viewer shows the significance of the divide. It is positioned slightly diagonally, and this helps draw the eye to it’s expansive length, which spans the entire width of the page. This helps develop the understanding that the artist sees a barrier that is being created at our own hands. It is also helpful that the consumer is located slightly to the left of the manufacturer. You can see his concern by the fact that he is so hesitant to purchase cheap Chinese goods. If he could even detect the local manufacturer standing just feet away, he would likely make contact. However, the wall is so impermeable that he cannot even detect his presence. This indicates that there are options when it comes to purchasing “Made in America” products, but it is becoming more difficult every day to find them.

The fact that the cartoon is in black and white also aids in driving the point home. It helps to factualize the main idea that outsourcing jobs to China is separating the American consumer from the U.S. manufacturer. When we say we want to see everything in black and white, this means that we want the facts with no sugar coating, and I think this choice of color patterning makes an appeal to logos in that it makes the idea one that seems factual and of legitimate and of concern.

The primary theme in this cartoon suggests that China, while a second world country, is gaining enough power over the U.S. that they have hindered the ability of the average U.S. citizen to find quality products made locally. The two characters, on the other hand, are watching as they lose the power over their own decisions. The artists is trying to make people more aware of this growing problem. While most understand how their own decisions exacerbate the issue, they rarely take the time to check to see where the products they purchase are being made. Americans, it seems, are digging their own graves without much thought to the repercussions these convenience purchases are causing. Using the boxes to form the Great Wall of China clearly showes that, even though most don’t realize it, China is making advancements that are causing job loss and economic strife to the United States.

Works Cited

China Highlights. “Great Wall Culture.” Unification, Separation and Attraction.

http://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/culture/

The Christian Science Monitor. “How Much Does US-China Trade Hurt American Workers?” Mark Trumbull. 10 May

2011.

The Cagle Post. “Great Wall Political Cartoons.” Adam Zyblis. http://www.cagle.com/tag/great-wall/