Over forty four million college students apply for and acquire student loans in order to attend trade schools or universities, encompassing a whopping 70 percent of all students nationwide (Cloud). However, not all of those students are prepared to suffer the consequences and endure the aftermath of exploiting several loans to afford the tremendous expenses of school. World renowned artist Nate Beeler recently posted a cartoon on Cagle Cartoon’s website that symbolizes how these loans will eventually “bite” a student. The cartoon, "Graduation Selfie", illustrates how much debt students will accumulate throughout their post-secondary education and how it can negatively impact their future lives. Beeler’s cartoon was published in May of 2014 …show more content…
One of the elements Beeler explores is color. For example, the dark colors of the snake and graduate stand out compared to the light blue background; the contrast of color additionally helps direct the viewer's eye, primarily towards the snake’s open mouth. Another use of color is displayed on the skin of the snake; the skin is predominantly green and black featuring the word “DEBT” ominously written in white. Along with the use of color, Beeler effectively uses the snake as a symbol. According to Mindful Dreamer Editors, “being bitten by a snake can mean you need to be more aware of what is happening” and it can “serve as a warning that [one] needs to pay attention to what threatens” themselves in real life (Mindful Dreamer Editors).Being that the snake is enormous and green, it can be viewed as a symbol for the amount of money one will need to repay since college loans are enormous. Much like a symbol, the snake also effectively works as an analogy; snakes attack people when they are not fully aware, corresponding to how debt can attack students at any given moment. Beeler thoroughly exploits the elements of color, symbolism, and an analogy, allowing viewers of all backgrounds to comprehend the ultimate message of the