The Wasp — May 22, 1880 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Page Analysis: The Illustrated Wasp, Page 695 This page contains **no political cartoons**. Instead, it's a collection of short satirical prose pieces and humorous commentary typical of the magazine's editorial content. The pieces mock various targets: Grant's astrological beliefs, Sherman's military reputation, Blaine's political prospects, and Jupiter in Sherman's horoscope. There are also lighter pieces about kindergarten, fish in scripture, art criticism, and anecdotes about rings and caves. The content relies on **contemporary knowledge** of 1870s-80s political figures (Grant, Sherman, Blaine) and religious/literary references that would be obvious to period readers but require historical context today. The tone is consistently irreverent toward public figures and institutions. No illustrations are visible on this page.