preview

Chinese Symbolism

Decent Essays

Throughout history, political cartoons have been used to express an individual or a group of people’s perspectives on certain political or social issues. Through various visual techniques, the cartoonist can portray their values and beliefs on diverse subjects, such as immigration. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, Chinese immigration in the United States rose to unprecedented numbers which prompted many xenophobic Americans to speak out. In “The Chinese Must Go,” the symbolism of the Chinese man running away with a money bag to China represents the belief that Chinese immigrants are exploiting the American economy. In “The Great Fear of the Period,” the symbolism of the Chinese man swallowing Uncle Sam conveys the idea that Chinese foreigners are destroying American culture. Ultimately, “The Chinese Must Go” and “The Great Fear of the Period” both utilize symbolism to portray the United States nativist negative perception of Chinese immigrants in the late nineteenth century. In “The Chinese Must Go,” the cartoonist depicts a Chinese man running with a bag of money to China, symbolizing the American conviction that Chinese immigrants were taking advantage of the American economy in the late nineteenth century. The Missouri Steam Wash chest that is chasing the Chinese foreigner has red and white pants to symbolize that it is an American business. This is done to portray the Chinese as making money in the American economy, but then taking this acquired

Get Access