You Can Forgive The Pig-Not The Man

Throughout works of art, satire has been used to convey meanings and messages to the viewer of said works. SUch work has ranged from poetry, essays, and even cartoons as a means of getting their voices to be heard by the public. One such artist, WInsor McCay was known for his gorgeous illustrations that delved into topics such as politics, and society’s attitude towards the world. Demonstrated through the print "You Can Forgive the Pig - Not the Man", McCay brings attention to the lack of motivation and drive of the human race.
In this cartoon, the main object of ridicule is that of man, and his inability to do anything. The criticism towards man his laziness is symbolized, not only through the the chains that bind his feet, but the pig that dozes near him. Such animal has been used throughout history to illustrate the ideas of greed, and sloth. Moreover, using such an animal allows the idea that the man, like the pig, does not do anything to contribute to society. Instead the animal just lounges on the grass while the world goes on around the ignorant animal. Around the duo, the symbolism does not end there, as it encompasses the entire piece. Implied ideas can be viewed throughout the work,

The grassy field in the foreground represents the current state of man; undeveloped, unkempt. This furthers the idea of his idleness, for he has yet to put in the effort to keeps his provided space orderly. However, you can see that man does not face the viewer; instead, he views the fantastical skyline that is shown in the middle and background of the artwork. Meant to represent a possible future that man could accomplish, if only he would break out of his chains and actively strive towards it. The amount of idea and thought that went into such an illustration is incredible. However, such planning is required to create a piece of such satirical nature uses devices to create the desired