The cartoon juxtaposes the well-off, elderly lady and the young family. The elderly lady is dressed well with her gloves, fur coat, and heavy makeup. The younger couple is sporting the "worn" look. They have big bags under their eyes, which indicate they are tired and over-worked.
These physical features add another element to the cartoon. Not only is the artist trying to represent overpopulation, but they are also attempting to bring attention to the strain on social security. The elderly lady is used to represent the aging population. The younger couple represents the generation having to work longer and save harder because of the draining social security funds.
The elderly lady is the only one in the cartoon smiling, and she is also the only one carrying a purse. The purse is used in substitution of the government's financial resources. All of the resources are going to the current elderly population, while the workforce is being drained. Although the elderly lady's question is a logical one, the father's sarcastic remark makes her seem almost naive. In addition, the child is reaching out to her. However, she pulls away in a standoffish gesture, but her hand remains in a position with her fingers spread. It seems as if she is positioned to grab something, which puts the artist's final touch on painting her as greedy.
The overpopulation elements of the picture are fairly surface. One symbolic element is the child's stroller. The stroller is green, a color that typically represents the world or the environment. The child is sitting on this environment. Because he represents the growing population, the audience can infer he is smothering or squashing the environment. He is also reaching out for resources that are not available, and his parents look like they are struggling to provide.
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