Life — October 10, 1907 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis The page features two distinct pieces: **"Forty-Mule Power" (cartoon):** This appears to be a humorous illustration showing a man being pulled backward by a mule while attempting to operate an early automobile. The satire likely mocks the unreliability or difficulty of early motor vehicles compared to traditional animal power—a common theme in early 1900s humor about nascent automobile technology. **"News About a School" and "The Order of Creation" (articles):** These are satirical commentary pieces. The left article criticizes Groton School's admissions practices and institutional reputation. The right piece, attributed to Ramsey Benson, presents a tongue-in-cheek creation myth comparing human instincts to those of animals (Ormuzd and Ahriman—Persian religious concepts). Together, they appear to critique educational pretension and institutional authority of the era.