Life — November 29, 1883 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Cartoon This cartoon by Mitchell depicts anthropomorphized turkeys in what appears to be a domestic service scenario. The larger turkey on the left displays an elaborate tail, while another turkey on the right appears to be serving or attending to human figures. A sign visible on the right lists job positions: "Head Waiter," "Messenger Boys," "Old Maids," "Chefs de Cuisine," and "Country Parlor," suggesting this satirizes servant hierarchies or domestic labor classifications. Another sign advertises "New England School MATTH 99 cents," though its relevance is unclear. The cartoon likely mocks either class distinctions in service work or—given the turkey imagery—makes a seasonal (Thanksgiving) joke about the irony of turkeys serving humans. The specific satirical target remains somewhat ambiguous without additional context.