The Wasp — October 4, 1879 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of The Illustrated Wasp Page 164 This page contains two distinct sections: **Left column**: A personal narrative about a working-class barber discussing his modest income ($100/month), household expenses, and observations about San Francisco's barber trade. It includes social commentary on gender and class. **Main illustration and right column**: "The Persian, as Seen by the Wasp" presents a satirical illustrated essay about Persia (Iran), featuring caricatured depictions of Persian people, culture, and governance. The text critiques the Persian ruler (Nadir Shah) as brutal and corrupt, contrasting Western civilization with Persian "barbarism." This reflects 19th-century Orientalist attitudes common in American satirical publications, using exaggerated stereotypes to portray Persians as exotic, uncivilized, and inferior—a typical rhetorical strategy of the era's imperial-minded satire.