MYP5 Unit 2: Witness, Memory: Recording
Conflict
Propaganda Posters
Propaganda Posters
Visual Analysis
Answer the following questions in your own words using the following
site: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zqhyb9q/articles/zhw3jhv#z8t66g8
1. What is propaganda?
Propaganda is used to manipulate peoples thinking
2. Why did it matter?
It mattered because they used the propanga to make people
inspired to join the war due to them either being made to think
that the amry looked exiting or it was their duty
3. How were posters used?
They could be used to make a scene look dramatic or to guilt
trip someone reading the poster into joining or to make them
feel as if they are missing out
4. What did newspapers report?
They reported things that would make the british happy and not give
information to spies like reporting big wins in battles and they would
also give imformation like who was missing or dead.
5. How did reporting change?
A movie was made that actually showed people what the front lines
were like
Answer the following questions in your own words using the following
site:
https://www.historyskills.com/source-criticism/interpretation/propaganda-
posters/
6. What are the 6 elements listed for propaganda posters? Give a brief
description.
A. Stereotypes: Posters could include usually racist steorytypes
towards certain ethnic groups. It was used so people could easily
identify who the poster was about
MYP5 Unit 2: Witness, Memory: Recording
Conflict
Propaganda Posters
B. Symbolism: posters would often use simple symbols to mean certain
thing, for example a skull would represent death.
C. Text: minimal text was used to make sure people got the posters
meaning
D. Connecting to the audience: posters would use terms like “YOU” to
make the poster feel like it was specifically directed at the reader.
E. Appeal to emotion: Posters would try to play with peoples emotions
by making them feel guilt, anger, sadness, etc.
F. Call to action: posters would have a statement of what the poster
wants you to do like “Enlist Now”.,,.
Activity Instructions:
1. Annotate and deconstruct the WWI propaganda poster that your
teacher provided.
2. Explore how and for what purpose text and image are used.
Questions to ask yourself:
Who or what is represented by the stereotypes and symbols?
What information is provided by the text in the poster?
How does the poster try and connect directly with the audience? (Using "you",
asking a question, or by 'looking at the audience'?)
What does the 'call to action' say?
What emotion is the viewer supposed to feel? (e.g. Shame, guilt, patriotism,
etc.)
Once you have answered these questions, you are ready to answer the
final one:
What did the propaganda want their audience to believe and do?
The propaganda wants the U.S citizens/The audience to
feel very patriotic so than they will enlist in the army to
make their country great.
MYP5 Unit 2: Witness, Memory: Recording
Conflict
Propaganda Posters
Remember toalso look at:
→People (shot type/body language/facial expression)
→Objects
→Use of text/word choice/syntax/font
→Symbols, Icons, Colors
→Layout/Placement/Gaze
→Over-riding message
