The Wasp — September 20, 1879 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "Phases of History" — The Illustrated Wasp This page continues a serialized story titled "Phases of History: Not Generally given in Detail," written by Salmi Morse. The narrative appears to be a dramatic tale about John and Jesse, characters navigating urban hardship and conflict. The illustrations depict scenes of struggle and desperation—figures in contorted positions suggesting violence or distress, consistent with the text's references to anger, execution, and survival. One illustration shows a woman's face, possibly Jesse. Rather than political satire, this appears to be serialized fiction using melodramatic imagery typical of 19th-century sensationalism. The "satire" lies in mocking overwrought literary conventions of the era through exaggerated emotional plotting and theatrical illustrations.