Judge — May 15, 1920 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Poor Fish!" - Judge Magazine, May 15, 1920 This cartoon by Ellis Parker Butler illustrates a transformation or contrast between two figures. On the left, a merman or fish-man kneels pleadingly; on the right, the same creature appears as a woman in a bathing suit. The caption "Poor Fish!" suggests satire about the transition. The likely reference is to evolution or perhaps the popular "missing link" debates of the era. However, without additional context about specific 1920 events or personalities, the precise satirical target remains unclear. It may mock scientific theories, gender transformation, or a specific public figure or scandal of that moment. The bathing suit attire suggests commentary on changing social norms around women's fashion and bodies in the 1920s.