Judge — October 24, 1914 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This appears to be a humorous domestic sketch rather than political satire. The illustration shows a couple in their home: Mrs. Subbubs sits knitting while her husband Mr. Subbubs lounges in a chair smoking a cigar. The joke concerns social pretension and class anxiety. Mrs. Subbubs complains that people judge others by appearances and clothing, insisting they shouldn't be "prejudiced against cigarettes." Mr. Subbubs responds that some people prejudge based on habits. The satire targets middle-class anxieties about respectability—the fear that smoking cigars or other personal behaviors might damage one's social standing or reputation in their community. The humor lies in the couple's self-consciousness about how neighbors perceive them.