“The visual symbolism must register immediately, whether consciously or not. The arguer must know and relate not only to the beliefs and attitudes of the intended audience, but also to the visual imagery that is meaningful to it.”

J. Anthony Blair, The Rhetoric if Visual Arguments

In J. Anthony Blair’s “The Rhetoric of Visual Arguments,” the author takes a systematic approach to defining visual rhetoric through a series of dialectical questions. These questions lead the author (and the reader) to a better understanding of visual symbolism and the important connection between the verbal and the visual.

To me, the meme is one of the most used visuals on the web and social media to convey meaning. Memes are not necessarily new inventions, but with the rise in technology and production of digital media, memes have become a powerful tool of communication–specifically communicating emotion and/or attitude.

The above meme, known as the “Condescending Wonka” meme (or the “Sarcastic Wonka” meme) has it’s history back to the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It is considered a classic film that many both Generation X and the early and mid-Millenials grew up watching, which means it speaks to a wide audience and would be recognized almost instantaneously.

The point of the meme, especially as a backdrop for the political commentary showcased above, is to set a tone of superiority. In early versions of the meme, the phrase “So…please tell me” was included to signal the sarcasm (emphasis added).

The use of the meme I have shared here is an interesting use of the visual tone set by the “Condescending Wonka.” The condescension is two-fold in this image: First, it conveys the intended attitude of superiority visually by using the older, more experienced Willy Wonka, with his head resting on his hand, towards the younger character, Charlie, who looks up expectantly. Second, the written message of the meme focuses on the unlikeliness of an internet petition to change the minds of the government–knowledge that was likely gained from experience.