Life, 1905-04-27 · page 18 of 26
Life — April 27, 1905 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine features a cartoon titled "As Between Gents" depicting two well-dressed men in formal attire (top hats and coats) introducing each other. The caption reads: "I want you to step over and shake hands with my friend—he's a fine gent. My kind—and your kind." **The satire:** The joke appears to be about class pretension and social climbing. Both men present themselves as "gents" (gentlemen), suggesting they belong to the same refined social class. However, the cartoon likely mocks the artificial nature of such claims—implying that not everyone calling themselves a "gentleman" actually qualifies, or that the standards for such designation are absurdly flexible. The emphasis on "my kind—and your kind" hints at ironic acknowledgment that they recognize each other as fellow social pretenders, despite outward appearances of propriety. The text discusses various books, but the cartoon's point concerns American attitudes toward class and respectability during the early 20th century, when *Life* specialized in such social commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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