Judge — May 5, 1928 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "Judge" Page: "Hula Girl" This cartoon depicts a tropical beach scene with racial caricature stereotypes typical of early-to-mid 20th century American satire. A figure labeled "Hula Girl" performs a hula dance while others watch from beneath a palm tree and thatched structure. The caption—"All right, ma; I'll be there in a couple o' shakes"—appears to be a pun connecting the hula dancer's hip movements ("shakes") to a casual, colloquial promise of arrival. The humor relies on visual wordplay rather than explicit social commentary. The cartoon reflects period attitudes toward Hawaiian and Pacific Islander cultures as exotic entertainment subjects for American audiences. The exaggerated artistic style and racial caricatures represent how such communities were routinely depicted in American popular media for comedic effect, often dehumanizing or trivializing their actual cultures.