Life — October 13, 1887 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine, October 13, 1887 **The Cartoon:** Titled "After Dinner," this depicts a social scene where a guest remarks to Mrs. Goodman that he felt "nervous" upon seeing oysters at dinner. Mrs. Goodman responds that her husband offered a "short prayer" before the meal—suggesting the prayer was meant to protect diners from potentially contaminated seafood. **The Satire:** The humor targets two concerns of the 1880s: the quality and safety of oysters (a popular but sometimes risky food), and the apparent inadequacy of religious blessing as food safety protection. The joke implies both the oysters' questionable quality and the irony of relying on prayer rather than proper food handling to prevent illness.