Judge — March 23, 1929 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical piece by Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel) mocking Western attitudes toward Africa through absurdist humor. The cartoons depict fictional African scenarios with exaggerated, dehumanizing imagery typical of early 20th-century American satire. The three vignettes ridicule: 1. **"Religion vs. Fashion"**: Depicts African religious practices as primitive contradictions (sacred turtles vs. fashion demands) 2. **"Window-Shade Cord Situation"**: Mocks an African problem using a camel, suggesting African concerns are trivial or laughable 3. **"Pacifying the Serpent of Pnjnmkb"**: Features a figure battling a giant snake, portraying Africa as a dangerous wilderness requiring Western intervention The satire targets Western colonial attitudes, but does so through racist caricatures and stereotypes rather than genuine critique. This reflects Judge magazine's approach: satirizing colonial pretensions while perpetuating the racist assumptions underlying imperialism itself.