Judge — November 24, 1923 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This satirical cartoon by John Held, Jr. mocks the commercialization of Thanksgiving. The joke depicts a wealthy man's "giving" throughout the holiday: he tips various service workers (page boy, head waiter, "siren" entertainer, hat check attendant, taxi driver) in sequence. The satire's point: despite the President's proclamation about gratitude and charitable giving, Thanksgiving has become merely transactional—the giver expects thanks from service workers compensated through tips, perpetuating an endless cycle ("ad infinitum") of obligatory gratitude rather than genuine thanksgiving. The subtitle captures the cynicism: "You do the Giving, and They do the Thanking—Sometimes," suggesting the thanks are performative, not sincere.