2021 Paper 1 Sample Response 2 (Jake Likes Onions)

How do text and image work together to convey the comic’s message?

With technology increasingly advancing, a concern has been whether  its improvements to efficiency of communication will invade people's lifestyles and deteriorate human's connections  and relationships. For example, the recent development of the Metaverse is shockingly similar and parallel to the technological advancements depicted in the text. "I can't wait for the thought  tube,” a satirical multimodal comic strip published on an online webpage www.jakelikesonions.com and written by Jake Thompson in 2016, explores how the increase advancements in technology and its prevalence within our lives will affect the ways humans communicate  with one another. Published online, the text appeals to a wide range  of audiences, from the general public to those who specifically like to browse Thompson's comics. Towards these audiences, the text has the purpose of revealing how technology will inevitably deteriorate human to human connections and also warns the reader about the possible adverse effects of humans relying on increasingly advanced technology to communicate. Through the interplay between the clear sequential format, iconic representations, and figurative language,  Thompson explores how the dominance of technology in our lives  weakens the emotional connectivity in communication and subtly hints at how technology will eventually dominate our identity and cultures if we continue to be absorbed by and immersed in it.

Through the development of the depiction of the two figures in the panels, Thompson reveals that although technology connects us over long distances, the over reliance and prevalence of technology in our lives to communicate with others reduces our human connection such as communicating with emotions and feelings. Throughout the sequential development within the comic strip, Thompson uses the contrast between detailed and simplistic representation to highlight how the nature of human connection and communication is lost within the over reliance of technology. In the very first panel (the top left panel), the two figures are depicted with relatively much more detail compared to the latter panels. For example, their eyes and eyebags are shown, wrinkles on their clothes are evident, and their ties' shape is distinct. However, in panel 2 (the top right panel), the VR headset gear covers the figures' eyes, hiding part of their  facial emotions. Facial emotions and eye contact are considered to  be key in face to face communication. In the first panel, the phone has not stolen their eye contact, whereas, in the second panel, their eyes are fully hidden and focused on a virtual reality. This highlights how human connections are increasingly becoming superficial.  Even when there are instances of physical connection, humans choose to connect through superficial means that simulate reality.  This further reveals how aspects of human communication that our societal currently deems as important, such as facial  expression, acknowledgment, and focusing on the conversation, will be inevitably changed by the development of technology, where humans will be distracted and lured in by superficial connections and realities.

Through the interplay between the use of increasingly dehumanising  language and the simplistic and iconic representation of the figures, Thompson reveals how the increase in prevalence of technology within our lives will inevitably cause the deterioration and loss of  humans' identity and individuality. In panel 3, the figures'  physical construct have even changed - their necks and voice box are now constructed from machine parts that vibrate and they have an antenna that sends signals for communication. Furthermore, this is evidenced by the changed in the "communication bubble" that appears  from the figure on the left's mouth. This shift highlights how  humans no longer use their real voices to communicate, but rather use technology to superficially simulate their voices. The figures are just communicating like robots, sending signals only for the  sake of instructions and no longer for anything cultural and  personal, signifying how individuality and personal experiences are no longer important or formed.  This is further complemented by the words "upload" and "thought tube.”  The word upload is typically used for documents and data rather for anything remotely human-like,  and therefore it dehumanises human emotions and thoughts. Moreover, the  use of the word "tube" also implies something industrialised and systematic, rather than something emotional, personal and human-like, revealing how human culture and experiences have also been dehumanised.  Through the use of “upload” and “tube,” Thompson draws parallels to the current day society where large social media firms are commercialising user data, thus implying how human connections may be dehumanised and commercialised as our information such as the “entire consciousness” is uploaded to and in the grasp of large companies.  In the last panel, the figures are no longer even mimicking human physicality and are now just composed of fundamental building blocks, which are brick-like and simplistic in shape, and the representation of the tie is ever more abstract and simplistic, suggesting how the figures no longer truly differ from one another and are simply mere advanced objects with no human  emotions, connections or individuality. Additionally, even the language has changed into different symbols, where only the question mark is still constant, indicating how technology will inevitably change and dehumanise our human cultures, where language is a large aspect of it.

The structure and sequential development of the text also warns the audience of the increasing possibility and danger of technology taking over our lives and the way we communicate if we do not responsibly use it in a controlled manner.  The comic (and author) prompts us to recognise this issue in order to act against it. Through the use of the anaphora, "Do you remember,” in each panel, Thompson creates the notion that this is something that will inevitably occur unless we change the current oblivious attitude towards the prevalence and invasion of technology within our lives.  Right below  the title "Jake Likes Onions" are 4 icons depicting the large social media or communication platforms, such as email, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which are ways to communicate in the present world. Therefore, Thompsons publishes this comic strip on the internet in order to prompt critical thought regarding the perverse effect of technology on our world through the use of dissemination  through technology, highlighting that technology itself can be used to combat the obliviousness and lack of awareness of how technology  is overtaking our lives. This implies that technology is not necessarily harmful to humans as long as it is used in a responsible manner. Moreover, Thompson's choice of specifically including the first panel of the figures on the phone, which has already happened, is specifically thought provoking as it allows the audience to reflect on how technology has already shaped our lives and changes their indifferent attitude to whether technology might  take over our lives. The use of the satirical caption  "I can't wait for the thought tube,” which is also the title of the comic strip, right below the panel in the bottom left corner, attempts to use sarcasm to prompt the reader to reflect on how urgent of an issue this is. Given that the development of technology is ever rapidly increasing, we as a society need to recognise this and use technology responsibly in order to prevent our individuality, identity, and culture from being oppressed by technology.  

At the end of the comic, the reader notices how Thompson highlights how technology is ever more prevalent in our  lives and that it creates many perverse effects, such as the reduction of our individuality, culture, and identity.  Thompson also reveals how interpersonal connections, emotions, and  thoughts are diminished and are instead dehumanised and commercialised. Therefore, Thompson exemplifies the dual nature and irony in using technology - how technology previously has had the  possibilities to bring people across the world closer, and yet it  seems to rather distance and remove the essence and nature of human communication and connection. In the end, he leaves the reader to reflect on how to use technology in a more sustainable and responsible manner. 

Word count: 1305