Judge — June 20, 1925 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is a humorous illustration by R.B. Fuller satirizing the dangers of lifeguarding. The cartoon shows a muscular lifeguard rescuing multiple people from turbulent waters while pterodactyls (or similar flying creatures) attack from above and a massive crowd of people desperately reaches toward him from the shore. The joke's premise—stated in the caption—is that this lifeguard has decided to quit and return to the safer occupation of piano moving. The satire implies that even moving pianos (traditionally portrayed as dangerous work) is preferable to the chaos and overwhelming responsibility of beach lifeguarding. The cartoon exaggerates lifeguarding duties to absurd extremes to make the comedic point about impossible working conditions and constant danger.