The Wasp — 1896 — page 631: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes family discipline disagreements. A woman (likely the mother) stands between two seated males—an older man and a boy—who represent different generations with conflicting parenting philosophies. The dialogue reveals the joke: Grandpa claims "all the commandments are there, Johnny," suggesting strict obedience to rules. Johnny responds that breaking commandments would mean "there'd be nine!" (implying he's already broken one). The satire mocks the generational clash between rigid Victorian discipline (grandpa's view) and a child's clever rationalization or modern defiance. The cartoon appears to comment on evolving attitudes toward child-rearing and respect for authority in early 20th-century America, with humor derived from the child's irreverent logic undermining traditional moral instruction.