Life — May 24, 1883 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Morituri Salutamus" - Life Magazine Cartoon Analysis This satirical illustration depicts death ("Morituri Salutamus" - "Those About to Die Salute You") confronting various figures representing wayward youth and social problems. The central skeleton figure addresses schoolboys and young men engaged in vices labeled "gathering cigarette cases" and other misbehaviors. The composition shows "The School Boy," "The Beginning of the End," and "The End," suggesting a cautionary narrative about moral decline. The cartoon appears to critique the corrupting influences on youth—likely smoking, gambling, or other urban vices—portraying them as paths toward literal death. The allegorical skeleton serves as memento mori, warning young people that such behaviors lead to inevitable doom. This reflects turn-of-the-century American anxieties about adolescent morality and social decay.