The Election day

Introduction:

This painting is the cover of the magazine Post which was published in October 10th in 1948 for the presidential elections in the United States.

This document is entitled : « election day » or « the great debate ». It was painted by Norman Rockwell.

This document shows a debate between a couple about their political belief.

Description:

The scene takes place in the kitchen, in the morning, the couple sits at the table and is having breakfast.

On the picture, we can see a couple arguing. They both hold and their hand a newspaper representing a political leader aspiring to become the president of the United States. The man shouts to convince his partner showing in the newspaper his favorite political leader while the woman stare him sulking.

During this time, at the bottom their son is crying.
In the background, on the right, there are a cat (on the chair back) and a dog (to the feet of the woman) which look disturbed by the quarrel.

Analysis:

The couple is arguing because they have different political belief. The man is for Dewey and the girl is for Truman. The man want to convince his partner shouting and using « strength » while the girl sulk and stare him by frowning: she doesn’t agree and doesn’t want to listen at her partner.

During this time, their son is crying probably because his parents are arguing for some time and he is fed up and feels alone.
The cat and the dog seems quite shaken, this quarrel seems to disturb them.
But the couple doesn’t care on the agitation around him.

This picture is quite funny : we can say that the boy is for Dewey, the girl is for Truman but the dog, the cat and the poor kid are for peace ! This picture shows us a rather frequent scene in a couple. It also shows us a scene of intimacy in a couple: they are arguing in the morning, in pyjamas, having breakfast.

It won’t be the first time that Norman Rockwell will paint paintings about political debates.

Astha Réquillart.