Judge — February 5, 1921 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Pollyanna and the Dentist The top story satirizes the optimistic literary character Pollyanna, who famously finds silver linings in every situation. Here, even during painful dental work, she remains cheerful—until the bill arrives. Her sudden fury at the dentist's charges (threatening to sue for "extortion") mocks the gap between her relentless positivity and harsh financial reality. The joke is that even Pollyanna's famous optimism has limits when money is involved. The lower cartoon depicts a robbery or carjacking. Bandits demand victims surrender "money and jewelry," but one robber protests they haven't gotten "all the 'gas'"—implying the victims haven't emptied the car's fuel tank. This jokes about criminals' petty greed during theft, wanting every last resource, no matter how minor.