In
"Every Dog (No Color Distinction) Has His Day", an African-American man is shown
with a big grin, hands in his pocket and feet crossed suggesting idleness. A
stereotypical Native American man is shown holding a peace pipe and talking to
an Asian American man who in turn stares at a group of posters. Thomas Nast has one
poster labeled "Know Nothingness of the past" and "Down with the
Irish, Down with the Dutch." The largest poster talks about the
"Chinese Problem" and about prohibiting Chinese immigration. There is
a smaller sign stating "The Chinese Must Go!" labeled “Kearny, A Real
American.”
“The
Chinese Must Go!” was the slogan used by the Workingmen's Party of California,
which Dennis Kearney was a part of. They spread anti-Chinese messages across
California. Kearney became involved in the labor movement and proved to be very
charismatic. He and others in the Workingmen's Party blamed Chinese immigrants
for taking jobs from the laborers and lowering wages. As a result of this, mobs
attacked Chinese businesses and homes, burning them and killing some of the
people. Kearney started lobbying for changes to California's constitution that
would add anti-Chinese provisions.
In this cartoon, Nast shows the irony of the
situation. The slogan "every dog has his day", referred to how Kearny, who was an
immigrant from Ireland, gained his day of recognition but is now persecuting
the Chinese. Nast made fun of Kearny, by calling him a "real
American" when he, along with every other non-Native American in America
was an immigrant. The mention of the “know nothings” refers to the American Party
of the 1850s who had anti-Catholic, German and immigration sentiments.
In this cartoon, Nast compared the treatment
of Native Americans, the slavery of African-Americans and used reminders of how
the Irish were treated, as a testament to how immigrants have been treated
poorly throughout American history. The use of an illustration of a train, symbolizing
the forced movement of Native Americans to the West and the KKK sign against
African-Americans is a comparison to the movement against the Chinese. The use
of stereotypes and exaggerated body and facial expressions was a way for Nast
to reach a larger audience. Even people who couldn't read would be able to
understand the Chinese man's scowl and folded arms. It was meant to reach the
average American, and remind them of the injustices of the past and impress on
them that it was happening again.
Hi Cara, I thought that I would commment on your blog, sice I chose the same picture.I hadnt notices the KKK sign in the picture and failed to mention that. And the eggagerated facial expressions I failed to address, since I just assumed because it was a cartoon, that is how it is done. It is interestig the different details we included on the same picture. Very to the point!
ReplyDeleteOf all the cartoons this was by far my favorite. I also did this cartoon and didn't think anything of the facial expressions. Though personally, I think the expressions were meant to just exaggerate the stereotypes. Kearny was definately the pot calling the kettle black. The fact he was the persecuted Irishman now persecuting the Chinese immigrants was the main theme of this cartoon.
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