Judge — March 10, 1923 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is a satirical cartoon from *Judge* magazine depicting a scene at what appears to be a theater or gallery (note the portraits on the wall). The caption reads: "Tired Business Man (between the acts of a mystery play)—Say, tell me who did the murder, so I won't have to go back." The joke plays on the exhaustion of working men seeking entertainment. Rather than enjoying the suspense of a mystery play, the protagonist is so fatigued he wants the ending spoiled so he can leave early and rest. The cartoon satirizes the grueling pace of American business life, suggesting that even leisure activities feel like obligations to overworked men who prioritize sleep over entertainment. The well-dressed audience members represent the urban professional class of the era.