The Wasp — 1895 — page 527: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes a social dilemma of the era. Miss Keyes asks Van Pelt for piano-buying advice. Van Pelt's response—"Why don't you wait a little? They are making improvements every day"—mocks the endless procrastination of indecisive consumers, particularly women making major purchases. The humor targets both consumer culture and gender dynamics: a woman seeking male guidance on a significant financial decision, while the man deflects responsibility by suggesting perpetual delay. It's unclear who the specific figures represent, though they appear to be social types rather than identified public figures. The cartoon critiques both male evasiveness and the paralysis of choice in an era of rapid technological advancement—if you always wait for "improvements," you never actually buy anything.