The Wasp — 1896 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of The Wasp Page This appears to be a title/contents page for *The Wasp*, "The Illustrated Weekly of the Pacific Coast," from 1896. The main illustration, captioned "Terrors of a Holiday Shopping Tour," depicts a well-dressed man confronted by an elaborately dressed woman emerging from what appears to be a shop or carriage. The satire targets the anxieties of holiday shopping, likely poking fun at the expense and chaos of seasonal retail—a recognizable theme even in the 1890s. The woman's ornate costume and the man's distressed posture suggest the financial and social pressures husbands faced during holiday gift-giving season. The page also lists 1896 subscription premiums, indicating this was a commercial publication aimed at Pacific Coast readers seeking satirical commentary on contemporary social life.