Life, 1909-06-24 · page 19 of 29
Life — June 24, 1909 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon mocks the turn-of-the-century "New Woman"—the educated, progressive young American daughter who condescendingly lectures her parents on morality and intellectual superiority. The joke: the daughter forbids her parents from reading "comic supplements" (newspaper comics) and attending theatrical productions like *Salome* (likely referring to Oscar Wilde's scandalous play), claiming such entertainments are beneath her advanced mind. Yet she hypocritically indulges in the same material herself, justifying it as necessary "to keep abreast of the times." She patronizes them like children—offering them "nature blocks" to play with—while preparing papers on sophisticated topics like sex for her civics club. The satire targets the pretentious, self-righteous progressivism of educated young women of that era, highlighting the absurd double standards and generational conflict between "advanced" youth and their bewildered, traditional parents.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TITTY il [F7 Fi PT rly PQA ii > Comme THAT VISIT TO THE DE-EAR OLD FOLKS ON THE They Could Not Move Her “] CANNOT permit it!’” The young American dau garded her parents sternly, and with a proper admixture of concern. “Tam very sorry,” she said, “that it is necessary for me to be strict with you, but there is too evident a disposition on your part to take advantage of your op- portunities. Why, papa, it was only last week that you and mamma would have sneaked off to see Salome, if I hadn't stopped you.”’ “Don't you think I ought to have some pleasure?" said her papa meckly. “Nothing that will injure you. Only such advanced minds as mine can stand that sort of thing. Besides, you are both prone You bring comic supplements into the house re- gardless of my wishes. Mamma, here, I know, has a secret longin; Glynn's works, How can you expect me to keep you away from all these evil in- fluences when you deliberately disobey me?” “But you indulge in them yourself,”” replied her mother with a hurt expres- sion. “Now, isn’t that just such an argument as I might have expected that you would Of course I indulge in them my- I am obliged to keep abreast of Besides, these things do me I understand their signifi- am able to assimilate them Now, my dear parents, I trust serisationalism. for Elinor use? self the times. no harm. cance. I properly. FARM I shall not have to speak to you again tter.”* not satis- about such an infportant n But her dear papa was fied “You see, dear,” he said, “don't you really think it is a little unfair? For when I was your age things were dif- ferent from what they now. We weren't allowed to do the things then, and now it cuts us off altogether, But the daughter was obdurat “Why,’" she replied, “should blame me merely because your time the world has advanced? Run along, like good parents, and play with these nature blocks, while I get ready to prepare my paper on the sex question for the next meeting of the civics club.” are you since comicbooks.com