Life — June 10, 1909 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis: "Teaching the Young Idea How to Shoot" This cartoon satirizes a woman teaching young people (depicted as monkeys/apes) to use firearms in a colonial setting. The title references Alexander Pope's phrase about education ("teaching the young idea how to shoot"), creating ironic wordplay—using "shoot" literally rather than metaphorically. The joke appears to target either: 1. Women's involvement in colonial or military activities (considered unconventional for the era) 2. The absurdity of teaching violence to the inexperienced or unqualified 3. Possibly satirizing imperialist military practices abroad The accompanying story "A Side Issue" discusses romantic entanglements and social expectations. The cartoon's anthropomorphic animals may suggest primitive or uncivilized behavior, though the exact satirical target remains somewhat unclear without additional historical context about the magazine's publication date.