We move: a journey metaphor in selected Ghanaian political cartoons

Abstract The research examines how Ghanaian political cartoonists employ journey imagery to explicate economic, socio-political, and topical/trendy issues. The effective communication of social issues requires the utilisation of compelling devices, such as metaphorical and metonymical representations, and symbolism. Cartoonists employ these devices to convey their messages about the aforementioned issues. For this study, thirteen political cartoons involving journey metaphors were retrieved from Tilapia of 3 News and Akosua of the Daily Guide. The data analysis utilised both Lakoff and Johnson’s conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) and Forceville’s Multimodal Metaphor. In accordance with the tenets of CMT, several conceptual metaphors were identified through the examination of the comprehensive data which included, but was not limited to, ‘GOVERNMENT IS A DRIVER’, ‘MANAGING A COUNTRY IS DRIVING A CAR’, ‘LEADING A GROUP IS DRIVING A CAR’ and ‘NATION IS A BOAT’. The relatability of journey metaphors makes it easier for readers and viewers to understand the cartoons’ implicit meaning. Finally, the utilisation of the source-path-goal element in journey metaphors provides a comprehensive perspective to the message, which in turn facilitates the comprehension of the cartoonist’s intended meaning by a global audience.