Life — November 12, 1908 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Hero of the Hour" - Analysis This satirical piece critiques a wealthy boy whose parents indulge his every wish. The narrative describes a child who wanted "a bigger house" three years ago and got one—illustrating parental overindulgence. The sketches show how different observers perceive him: his girlfriend sees him positively, other boys view him as a rival/threat, his mother sees only innocence, and his father sees someone shirking responsibility. The central photograph depicts a domestic scene where a woman reads to a reclining man, captioned with dialogue about reading material from a magazine—likely satirizing leisure and escapism among the wealthy. The bottom section, "His Diagnosis Was Right," references Mr. Hartzell, a Pittsburgh businessman who shot himself, with commentary suggesting wealthy industrialists are beginning to examine their own moral character and excess.