The Wasp — 1879 — page 179: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon from *The Wasp* critiques Chinese immigration and labor practices in 19th-century America. The sequential panels illustrate a "state yet to arrive at" — depicting the journey of a Chinese worker ("Chinaman"). The top panel shows officials or corrupt intermediaries arranging passage. Middle panels depict arrival and processing among crowds of onlookers. The bottom scenes show the worker being fed meager rations and performing labor, with text referencing "WASP" (likely the magazine itself) and what appears to be criticism of exploitative working conditions. The cartoon's satirical point appears twofold: mocking both Chinese immigration itself and exposing the systemic exploitation Chinese workers faced — likely reflecting contemporary nativist anxieties while ironically documenting abuse.