Everlasting bond between friends honoured in Mark Knight cartoon

An editorial cartoonist’s job is one of visually interpreting political, social or news events for readers, and to use humour in translating that idea.

Having said that, the editorial cartoon is not always funny. Sometimes the daily cartoon will have to comment on issues which are sad or of a serious nature. This week was one of those moments, when two Australian teenagers, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, tragically died as a result of methanol* poisoning while holidaying in Laos* together. The two best friends were on the trip of a lifetime, having taken a gap year after graduating from Year 12.

They inadvertently* consumed the dangerous substance in a cocktail* while staying in a backpackers’ hostel in the town of Vang Vieng. After falling ill and being rushed to hospital, both were sadly taken off life-support a week later with their families by their bedsides.

It is a very private matter for these two families but the story made international headlines. It is a story that is every parent’s worst nightmare. As a parent to three children myself, we encourage our children to seek out the world, explore other cultures, learn and grow through experience. And to have fun. The worst thing parents could do is to keep their children in a box, sheltered and supposedly safe. Ninety nine per cent of the time the experiences are awesome.

The emotion and outpouring of empathy* for the two girls and their families was huge and I felt I should say something in a cartoon that reflected the nation’s empathy for Holly and Bianca. Two young lives just starting out on their journey but cruelly and inexplicably* cut short was all I could think about.

How would I draw this?

I started by looking at where the two friends were holidaying: Vang Vieng and the Nam Song river, where “tubing” is the big attraction for foreign tourists. People hire rubber tyre tubes and float down the river passing through majestic* mountains and lush forest vistas*. I looked at photos and videos on YouTube and was amazed by the dreamlike landscape. The beauty and poetry of it. It was in contrast to the sadness of what had just happened.

I started to sketch the river valley and the mountain peaks that rise like sentinels*. Looking at pictures of young people on holiday floating down the river, I drew Holly and Bianca floating on two tyre tubes. We see them from behind. They are gently floating down the river too. They are holding hands. It is a scene of tranquillity* and beauty. Life is beautiful.

Sometimes when I draw, I’m not sure what I’m drawing. I just follow my hand and the pencil in it. At times I do not know where it’s going. When I looked down at this pencil sketch, I felt something, a warmth, a display of the mateship these two young women have for each other, a bond that is now everlasting.

I saw in the drawing that their journey still continues, now in the memories … and hearts … of loved ones, friends and family.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• methanol: a light, volatile, flammable poisonous liquid alcohol used in antifreeze, pesticides, windshield wiper fluid, paint thinner and other toxic products
• Laos: country in Southeast Asia
• inadvertently: unintentionally, accidentally, without knowledge or intent
• cocktail: an alcoholic drink containing several ingredients
• empathy: the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation
• inexplicably: in a way that cannot be explained or understood
• majestic: very beautiful and impressive
• vistas: views, sights, panoramas, aspects
• sentinels: a person or thing that watches over something
• tranquillity: a peaceful, calm and quiet state

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QUICK QUIZ

1. What was the substance that poisoned Bianca and Holly?
2. Where were the Victorian teens travelling at the time?
3. How did Mark start to think about how to draw this cartoon?
4. What is “tubing” and why did Mark use it in the cartoon?
5. What was Mark trying to say with this cartoon?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Caption it!
Cartoonist Mark Knight has not used a caption on this cartoon, letting the imagery speak for itself.

Read Mark’s explanation of what the cartoon means again and write two, three or four short sentences, just to make sure you understand what the cartoon is saying.

Using your sentences to help you, write a caption for the cartoon or some thought bubbles or quotes from the person or animal in the cartoon that will make Mark’s meaning clearer for children or people who haven’t been reading the news this week.

Time: allow at least 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum links: English, Humanities, Visual Arts, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Look through the most recent stories on Kids News and choose one to draw a cartoon about.

Use Mark’s three-step process to get started:

What is my subject?

What do I want to say about this issue?

How do I say it? Do I use visual metaphors (an image that the viewer is meant to understand as a symbol for something else), multiple panels or symbolism (when one idea, feeling or emotion is represented by something else such as a picture, character, colour or object)?

Time: allow at least 40 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum links: English, Humanities, Visual Arts, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Stretch your sentence
Find a “who” in the cartoon – a person or an animal. Write it down.

Add three adjectives to describe them better.

Now add a verb to your list. What are they doing?

Add an adverb about how they are doing the action.

Using all the words listed, create one descriptive sentence.