The Wasp — 1891 — page 111: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes class pretension and social climbing. The illustration shows three well-dressed men in Victorian attire engaged in conversation. The caption's dialogue reveals the satire: when asked about his father, one character admits his father "had to work for his—aw—living, you—aw—er—know," suggesting embarrassment about his working-class origins despite his current aristocratic appearance. The joke targets the hypocrisy of nouveau riche individuals who adopt upper-class manners while concealing humble backgrounds. The exaggerated, uncomfortable speech patterns reinforce the character's discomfort revealing his social origins—he cannot comfortably articulate that his father was a laborer. The rest of the page consists primarily of period advertisements for pianos, furniture, hotels, and other services.