Judge, 1924-07-12 · page 5 of 36
Judge — July 12, 1924 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "A Story of Success" This is a satirical narrative about Willie, an ambitious working-class man who desires wealth. The story mocks his get-rich-quick mentality: he works hard, saves money buying cheap Scotch whisky, and dreams of business ownership. The main cartoon depicts Willie at what appears to be a golf club or leisure venue—visualizing his fantasies of wealth and status. The satire lies in the gap between his aspirations and reality: despite his efforts, he remains trapped in working-class circumstances, spending his meager savings on alcohol rather than genuine investment. The piece critiques both Willie's unrealistic ambitions and the social systems that make genuine class mobility difficult. The final section, "Hazardous Occupation," shifts to unrelated satirical content about a life guard's risky job.
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nice ito A Story of Success Wes our story: opens, Willie was making such a small salary that the best he could afford was half a pint of synthetic gin. This he carried on his hip to sorority dances and other flapper functions, “Ah,” thought Willie with a deep sigh, “if T were only a rich business man and could buy champag Spurred on by ambition, he worked $200 a case.” ne a hard, and with such material suce in another year he was buying $ F 86 per bottle, and looking forward to the day when he would have his own obse- His employer had one—an elegant gentleman with dump i brief case—and Willie envied him. He } determined to work harder than ever. ' It was a great moment for Willie when, } with salary further increased, he felt able to afford a dozen quarts of Lone t Glen Artney, guaranteed p He i felt that he never could repay his em- ployer's bootlegger for graciously agree- ing to “split a case” for him, “Such a thing could never have hap- pened to me a year ago,” thought Willie with satisfaction. The day that Willie received in’ the mail a mimeographed price list of every thing illegally drinkable—a price list sent sealed to his own very self—a thrill of proper pride put him all in a glow. “At last,” he eried, “they think T have money. I am in the bootleggers’ blue quious bootlegger. “war. With this as an Willie labored as never before. Industry reaped its reward. Willie was taken into the firm, and the first person to congratulate him was the elegant gentleman with the plump brief case. Willie is now a well-stocked locke dry” clubs. incentive, ich man, with his own in hal So rich has he become that among his clubs is one in an ultr a dozen “bone xelu- sive society summer colony which has a high wall around it and a private police All—Gosh, some folks have a funny idea of recreation! ce to keep out prohibition enforcement. “Ah.” he “nts other ’s, toying with his glass of yw true it is that wealth and undes: a Je persons. This club has a bar, three bartenders and) does not bring happiness. The dreams, “anything you want.” the aspirations, of youth are best. I Yet sometimes, Willie sighs. ha reached the point where there is nothing so illegal that T cannot afford it, yet what would IT not give—even my tin, thrill o the gurgle of my flask of synthetic gin!” cellar—to he a boy Hazardous Occupation The Saved One—Won't you please tell me your name and a Guard—1 ds Iress? i » not, lady. My wife’s got me on probation this sum- mer, tat “The weather to-day: Fair with showers.” — Forecast in The New York Herald- Tribune Young Woman (who has called for help)—Go away! You your choice. ays your money and you takes You aren't the man! 4 comicbooks.com