Judge, 1919-06-21 · page 4 of 36
Judge — June 21, 1919 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Full-Length Portrait of a Typical American" This satirical cartoon depicts an average American citizen as a walking collection of taxes and fees. Each body part is labeled with a different tax burden: seeing, talking, hearing, breathing, eating and drinking, sleeping, walking, blood pressure, amusement, loose change, and "everything else." The cartoon critiques the comprehensive nature of taxation in America—the idea that citizens are taxed on virtually every activity and aspect of life, from basic bodily functions to leisure. The figure appears mechanical and overburdened, suggesting citizens are reduced to tax-generating machines. The artist (credited as "drawn by [name]") satirizes government taxation policies as invasive and omnipresent. This reflects early-to-mid 20th-century American concerns about expanding government reach and tax burden. The humor lies in the exaggeration: tax collectors seemingly profit from everything a person does.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Tax on Seeing~ The Tax on Breathing iy The Tax on Amusement The Sleeping Tex vier | / Swern Statements The Tax on Eating |= =) and Drinking AMA ad Hh} | Tax Returns “GKS ‘i Fuut-rexctu Poxtsrair or A Typicar AMERICAN 4 comicbooks.com