Judge — January 1, 1927 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis: "New Year's Eve—The Fellow Who Swore Off for 1926" This cartoon satirizes the common New Year's resolution to quit drinking during Prohibition (1920-1933). The central figure, a portly man at a desk wearing formal attire, represents someone who has publicly pledged sobriety for 1926. He's surrounded by: - Bottles of alcohol being consumed by numerous attendees at what appears to be a lavish party - A clock showing midnight - A large cauldron of burning bottles - Observers holding drinks and chess pieces (suggesting strategic drinking games) The satire mocks the hypocrisy of Prohibition-era pledges—the resolution-maker is supposedly "swearing off" alcohol while surrounded by illegal drinking. The cartoon cynically suggests that such New Year's vows are futile given widespread alcohol consumption and social pressure during an era when drinking remained culturally pervasive despite legal prohibition.