The Wasp — 1878 — page 434: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is an anti-Chinese immigration cartoon from *The Wasp*, depicting a giant octopus labeled with various Chinese stereotypes and threats ("Spendthrift Habits," "Vices," "Corruption," "Savings Banks," "Government"). The octopus's tentacles reach toward a Chinese immigrant ship in the background. The cartoon expresses nativist fears about Chinese immigration and economic competition. It portrays Chinese immigrants as an invasive threat with multiple dangerous characteristics. The labels suggest anxieties about their work ethic, moral character, financial practices, and political influence. This reflects late 19th-century anti-Chinese sentiment that culminated in discriminatory legislation. The octopus metaphor—a common xenophobic trope—visualizes perceived infiltration of American society by a foreign "other," condensing multiple prejudices into one monstrous image.