Judge — November 15, 1919 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from *Judge* magazine presents "An Extra Short Story" through sequential illustrations depicting a romantic narrative. The labeled vignettes trace a courtship progression: "girl," "man," "love," "kiss," "ecstatic shiver," "will you?," "yes," "matrimony," "music," "split," and "alimony." The satire targets marriage itself, suggesting a predictable arc from romantic courtship through marriage to inevitable divorce and financial consequences. The final panels—where a joyful couple transitions to "split" and concludes with "alimony"—represent cynicism about marriage's durability and the financial burden of separation on men. This reflects early 20th-century anxieties about divorce, which had become increasingly common and socially visible, challenging traditional romantic idealization of marriage.