Life — November 14, 1895 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine, November 14, 1895 **The Cartoon: "A Give Away"** This page features a single cartoon depicting two well-dressed figures examining an ornate chair. The male figure asks whether the chair is "big enough for two," and the woman responds (inadvertently revealing something) that "I know it is." **The Joke:** This is a double-entendre cartoon playing on domestic/marital humor typical of 1890s satirical magazines. The humor relies on the woman's unguarded admission that she and the man have previously shared the chair together—implying an intimate or improper relationship. The title "A Give Away" suggests she has accidentally revealed a secret through her careless response. The ornate chair and formal dress suggest upper-class social pretense, which the satire punctures through the woman's revealing slip of the tongue.