A complete issue · 16 pages · 1879
Puck — August 6, 1879
# Analysis of Puck Magazine, August 6, 1878 This cartoon satirizes **General William Tecumseh Sherman**, the Civil War general and current military figure. The title "Mr. Sherman Makes Some Personal Reflections" accompanies an image of Sherman examining his own reflection in a mirror, with the caption: "Certainly, if I appear to others as I do to myself, I am without doubt the very biggest man in the country." The satire mocks Sherman's apparent vanity and inflated self-regard. The mirror reflection device emphasizes self-delusion—the gap between how he sees himself versus how others perceive him. This suggests Sherman was viewed as arrogant or boastful during this period, making him a target for Puck's political humor.
# Analysis of Puck Magazine Page 838 This page consists primarily of **text content rather than political cartoons**. The main feature is "Puck's Picnic," a humorous narrative describing a social outing to Coney Island where various recognizable public figures are observed and satirized. The text mocks attendees including politicians and social figures, commenting on their appearances, behaviors, and relationships. References include criticisms of individuals' physical features, romantic entanglements, and perceived pretensions. A small illustration shows Puck (the magazine's mascot) at the picnic. The satire employs the typical Puck approach: social observation and gentle mockery of prominent New Yorkers' vanities and foibles, rather than sharp political attack. The right column contains brief satirical items called "Puckerings"—short, pithy social commentaries on current events and personalities.
# Puck Magazine Page 339 Analysis This page contains letters to the editor rather than cartoons. The content addresses prison conditions and reform: **"The Herald's 'Paddle' and the 'Paddle' of Sing-Sing"**: An ex-convict named Richard Turpin criticizes the use of corporal punishment ("paddling") in Sing-Sing Prison. He argues this brutal discipline contradicts claims of rehabilitation and compares it unfavorably to newspaper-style punishment. **"A Plea for the Blinded"**: A blind man describes visiting Puck's office, highlighting that cheap "Libraries" (serialized fiction sold cheaply) are making literature accessible to poor people who couldn't otherwise afford books. The page appears primarily concerned with social commentary on prison reform and literacy access for working-class readers—both progressive concerns of the era.
