Life — February 21, 1901 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 143 This page presents two contrasting images under the heading "LIFE": **Top image ("Lent. Nothing Doing"):** Shows a formally dressed figure sitting idle outside an ornate gate, with crowds of people visible on either side. This illustrates the Christian observance of Lent—a period of abstinence and reduced activity. **Bottom image ("The Revised Version"):** Depicts a man in 18th-century clothing (possibly representing George Washington, given the caption mentions "G. Washington") actively digging/working alongside others. The caption reads: "YES, POP, I CUT 'EM DOWN WITH MY LITTLE PENKNIFE." The satire contrasts religious Lent observance with American industriousness. The "revised version" suggests Americans replace idle religious contemplation with productive labor—a commentary on American pragmatism versus Old World piety. The specific historical reference remains unclear without additional context.