The Wasp — 1878 — page 43: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This six-panel satirical narrative traces the exploitative journey of a Chinese immigrant ("Ab Sin," a familiar racist caricature from the era). The sequence depicts: 1. His arrival and initial rejection by white workers 2. Learning English from a German foreman 3. Being hired despite white workers' objections 4. White workers eventually departing the job 5. A white worker being fired while Ab Sin remains 6. Ab Sin's ultimate success and authority The satire targets anti-Chinese labor anxieties prevalent in 19th-century America, specifically depicting white workers' fears that Chinese immigrants would undercut wages and displace them. The cartoon frames Ab Sin as cunning and threatening, reflecting widespread xenophobia. The title "Interloper" emphasizes the perception of Chinese workers as unwelcome outsiders infiltrating American labor markets.