Life, 1887-07-07 · page 1 of 16
Life — July 7, 1887 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Patriot" - Life Magazine, July 7, 1887 This cartoon satirizes American nationalism and hypocrisy regarding foreign travel. A first-born son declares he wants to travel abroad "this summer, Pop, and see the world." His father objects, saying "I do not object to your seeing the world, but I do object, sir, to the world's seeing you." The joke mocks wealthy Americans who claim patriotic motives while actually being embarrassed by their countrymen abroad. The father's response suggests American travelers were viewed unfavorably internationally—perhaps as crude, loud, or otherwise representing the nation poorly. The cartoon criticizes the contradiction between professed patriotism and the desire to hide one's nationality from foreign scrutiny, common anxiety among 19th-century American travelers in Europe.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NEW YORK, JULY 7, 1887. NUMBER 236. Entered at New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1887, by Mrrewait & Muzzr. A PATRIOT. First-torn; 1 SHOULD LIKE TO GO ABROAD THIS SUMMER, PoP, AND SEE THE WORLD. Fond Parent; 1 DO NOT OBJECT TO YOUR SEEING THE WORLD, BUT I DO OBJECT, SIR, TO THE WORLD'S SEEING You. comicbooks.com