Life — December 23, 1909 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This satirical illustration from *Life* magazine depicts three figures labeled "The Wolf," "Love," and "The Devil," positioned beneath the letters "LIFE" and captioned "COMMON TO ALL OF US." The cartoon uses archetypal human impulses or character types—animal instinct (wolf), romantic/emotional desire (love), and moral corruption (devil)—as universal human traits. The three figures, rendered in silhouette wearing period dress with animal heads, suggest that regardless of social station or individual identity, all humans share these fundamental drives. This appears to be early 20th-century social commentary using allegorical figures to reflect on human nature—a common *Life* magazine approach. The satire suggests that civilization cannot fully suppress these base instincts; they remain inherent to humanity.