Life — July 13, 1899 — page 11: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page contains two satirical cartoons from *Life* magazine (dated February 12, 1908, per the top illustration's caption). **Top cartoon ("Zola and Goliath"):** References French novelist Émile Zola, depicted as David confronting a giant labeled "A Gas Trust." This satirizes Zola's role as a public crusader against corruption and injustice, paralleling the biblical David-and-Goliath story. It comments on contemporary trust-busting debates during the Progressive Era. **Bottom cartoon:** Shows a classical female figure (likely representing Liberty or Justice) triumphantly gesturing amid fallen logs or debris, while a wounded male figure sits dejected nearby. This appears to celebrate victory against some industrial or monopolistic threat, reflecting Progressive Era anti-trust sentiment and labor concerns. The cartoonist's signature is visible but unclear in reproduction.