Visual Rhetoric Analysis #6: A New Way to See the World

This image is a perfect example of rhetoric utilized in cartography. PJ Mode quotes early 1900’s cartographer, James Francis Horrabin, in his Persuasive Cartography collection as stating the importance of omitting “non-essential” information on maps and only include the facts that make one point clear. This map focuses on the rapid spread of communism around the world. It leaves off information that is not important to the illustration of this point. This map’s creator, Luis V. Manrara, also used arrows the way Horrabin did to make his meaning clearer, (Mode, In the Words of Persuasive Cartographers).

The size of the continents do not align with the size we are familiar with from other maps. This coincides with the idea that Mode pointed out," No map provides an entirely objective view of reality," (Mode, Persuasive Cartography).

National Geographic’s How to Make Maps and Influence People points out that the main purpose of maps is to portray special relationships. This map shows the relationship between the areas that are being conquered by the communist party. This also follows the fact pointed out on the same article that this relationship is used as a motivator by emphasizing power, size, and extent.

This map was created solely to persuade action from the viewer. The cartographer has to make a choice of colors, shading, satirical and pictorial elements, among many others, in order to enhance the agenda, (Mode, About Persuasive Cartography). This map was no exception to this rule.

photo source: http://bigthink.com via: PJ Mode Collection