Life, 1895-09-12 · page 11 of 16
Life — September 12, 1895 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This is a satirical cartoon from *Life* magazine depicting Hell as a massive cavern with a gatekeeper. Two figures—appearing to be journalists or reporters—stand before the entrance, which bears Dante's famous inscription "All Hope Abandon Ye Who Enter Here." A New York *World* reporter announces himself and asks why people are "fighting about" this place. The gatekeeper (representing the Devil or Hell's administrator) responds that he has "a place especially prepared for you fellows," suggesting journalists will receive special punishment in Hell. The satire mocks newspapers and reporters, implying they're so dishonest or troublesome that Hell itself reserves particular torment for them. This reflects early 20th-century cynicism about press integrity and sensationalism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1 \ (\ * KA r nt Ha] wa oe “Hit WHAT’s ALL THIS ROW OUT HERE? WHAT ARE YOU FIGHTING ABOUT AND WHO ARE you?” “Tam a New York Werald REPORTER.” “Tam A New York Hor/d REPORTER.” Both: 1 WAS THE FIRST ONE TO REACH THIS SPOT. “Goon. I HAVE A PLACE ESPECIALLY PREPARED FOR YOU FELLOWS.” comicbooks.com