Looking for a different way of getting insight into the crazy current political strife? Head over to the Wilton Historical Society for a look back at some historical political cartoons that still resonate today, and have a surprising talented illustrator nestled among them–Dr. Seuss!

The Historical Society’s exhibition, “Dr. Seuss, Political Cartoons & the Battle over Isolationism vs. Intervention,” revisits early 20th-century U.S. foreign policy in an approachable way, through cartoons. Guest curated by Dr. Matthew Warshauer, a historian and professor of history at Central Connecticut State University, the exhibition uses a selection of early 20th-century cartoons and prints about the role of the United States on the international geopolitical stage at the time–a question that still exists in today’s public debate.

As the title suggests, it’s an argument of isolationism vs. intervention:  should the U.S. remain militarily neutral and detached from foreign conflict, or use its economic and military might to try to extend peace and democracy to places plunged into conflict? Do we isolate, or do we intervene?

The illustrations in the exhibition chart a cyclical pattern of political debate surrounding this complex issue as it played out in the first quarter of the 20th century. From the isolationist sentiment that had originally kept the United States out of World War One, to the hyper-nationalist “America First” pro-war propaganda that emerged after the US entered the war in 1917, to the return of the isolationist viewpoint when Congress debated and ultimately rejected joining the ill-fated League of Nations in 1919, walking around the room you watch the debate shift and cycle as the  historical context changes.

Warschauer sees cartoons as a way to distill an argument down to its essential elements, while making it accessible to people across generations.

“Most people have real difficulty understanding the big picture of American foreign policy and are intimidated by the subject. Using cartoons helps because the issues are presented in a more straight-forward way and also because the images are approachable, even for kids,” he says.

Some of the funniest images in this collection come from an illustrator who is sure to be known by Wiltonians young and old–Dr. Seuss made a living as a political cartoonist before becoming an all-time great children’s book author. He has six cartoons on display at the exhibition. His style is immediately recognizable, and any lover of Seuss’ books will not be surprised that he is as skillful at parsing political debates as moral ones.

A primary function of studying history is to contextualize past events, and see how the debates and actions of yesteryear can inform our behavior today. “Historians continue to go back and reinvestigate and rethink the past,” Warschauer says. “History is constantly being evaluated based on where we are as a people today… I think we should look at the cartoons and consider what they tell us about foreign policy decisions we’ve made and at least attempt to learn something from those actions.”

The exhibition remains rooted in history, but it’s impossible to see this debate as it played out on paper 100 years ago and not connect it to the situations we face today. The question remains:  are we better off acting in Syria or North Korea to defend people’s human rights? Or should we stay out of it, considering our track record of intervention leading to destabilized nations and regions? Perhaps hidden in these cartoons is the key to solving this most difficult of questions, or at the very least, an insight into the past which may provide a bit of perspective.

A board that serves as an introduction to the exhibition contains a list of questions to ponder while walking around the room.

  • What is happening in the cartoon or print?
  • Think about the date and what was happening in the weeks and months before. How much do you know about the historical context of the cartoon or print?
  • Look for symbols. What do they mean and how to they represent the cartoon’s meaning?
  • Study the title and other text. How does it help to convey the artist’s message? Why do some cartoons have text while others don’t?
  • Explore the tone of the cartoon. Is it saritical, comic, tragic, ironic, critical, condemning, questioning, imploring, or angry?
  • Put it all together. What is the cartoonist’s point? What is the artist trying to convey?

The exhibition is open now through mid-October, at the Wilton Historical Society (224 Danbury Rd.).