Life — October 30, 1884 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Business View" This cartoon satirizes parental hypocrisy regarding children's religious education. The illustration shows a mother and son in what appears to be a bedroom scene. The caption has the aunt asking if the boy says his prayers in the morning, to which the mother responds that she doesn't—anyone can take care of themselves during the day. The satire targets the selective or inconsistent application of religious practice: the mother expects her son to pray but openly admits she neglects her own prayers, dismissing them as unnecessary for adult self-reliance. This exposes the double standard of imposing spiritual discipline on children while abandoning it oneself—a critique of Victorian-era parental attitudes and the gap between professed values and actual behavior.