Judge — September 5, 1931 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This satirical cartoon depicts an absurd "little-known occupation": teaching parrots to swear. The scene shows a pet shop operator perched on a fence near a brick wall, apparently instructing parrots (visible in cages at ground level) in profanity. The image is surreal—featuring flying figures and exaggerated gestures suggesting chaotic instruction. The humor lies in the contradiction: parrots naturally mimic sounds, so "teaching" them to swear inverts the normal relationship between teacher and student, making the occupation ridiculous. This appears to be gentle, observational humor about odd professions rather than pointed political satire. The cartoon mocks the mundane absurdity of specialized, impractical work.