Judge, 1918-10-12 · page 7 of 32
Judge — October 12, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This satirical piece mocks the pretensions of amateur musicians and the social obligation of accepting dinner invitations. **The Setup:** Wilkinson invites the snobbish "classically musical" Barrington to an evening of home music-making. Wilkinson then earnestly catalogs his family's musical activities—his daughter's vocal lessons, his son's violin "airs," his wife's ragtime piano playing, his oldest boy's banjo, his youngest child's snare drum, and his own newly-begun flute lessons. **The Satire:** The joke targets Wilkinson's obliviousness to how amateurish and cacophonous this "variety" would sound. He's genuinely proud of these humble accomplishments while Barrington—who requires a professional symphony orchestra to be satisfied—obviously finds the prospect excruciating and invents an excuse to escape. **Social Commentary:** Judge ridicules both the self-deluding amateur musician who overestimates family talent, and the insufferable snob who cannot appreciate earnest domestic efforts. The piece satirizes middle-class social anxiety and the gap between musical aspiration and actual ability.
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Draven by Wes Tnvix Aut Siens Far An Evening of Music By Moxris Wave “CNAY, wouldn't you like to come around to the house some time this week, say, tomorrow evening, and have an evening of music with us?" said Wilkinson to Barrington, who is so classically “musical”? that nothing less than the Boston Sym- phony Orchestra can make any appeal to him. “Better come,” added Wilkinson cordially. ‘You being so musical I guess we could give you a fine eve- ning with plenty of variety in it. My daughter, sixteen years old, has had a couple of dozen vocal lessons and the way she sings ‘Annie Laurie’ and ‘The Old Oaken Bucket’ isn’t slow for one of Ser years. Then I got a boy of thirteen who can scrape out some mighty lively airs on the violin, and my wife can play ix A Dry Time almost any two-step on the piano, and you can’t stump her on any of the latest ragtime airs. My oldest boy is taking banjo lessons, and you'd enjoy a new piece he is practicing on. Got a little chap of six who can do some clever stunts on a snare drum, and my wife has made up a piece that all of ‘em can play together. Come around tomorrow evening and hear ’em, can’t you You are very kind—very, but the fact is that | have a most important engagement for tomorrow eve- ning. Indeed, | don’t believe I have a free evening in sight for a month or more. Thanks for the invitation just the same.” “Well, I'll make the invitation a standing one, and you come when you can. I’m taking les- sons on the flute, and maybe by the time you come I can give you a tune or two. You see we are some musical like your- Esurty—Att Eurry! self.” comicbooks.com