Life, 1910-09-08 · page 24 of 40
Life — September 8, 1910 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece contrasts American and Canadian parenting through a dialogue between two men observing a mother and daughter in Quebec. **The Setup:** An American and Canadian businessman discuss national character differences while seated overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Two American women—a mother and daughter—pass by, and the daughter loudly refuses to go shopping, directly contradicting her mother's wishes. **The Satire's Point:** The incident exemplifies the American man's complaint: young American women are "bores" who disrespectfully defy parental authority, overdress, and employ "sarcasm or invective." He attributes this to commercialism undermining family coordination—specifically, mothers who indulge children rather than enforce paternal discipline. **Historical Context:** This reflects early 20th-century anxieties about changing gender roles and generational rebellion, particularly women's growing independence. The American daughter's defiance is presented as characteristically American excess, contrasted implicitly with (presumably more obedient) Canadian daughters. **The Cartoon Below:** Shows a pig in a pen captioned "Born One—What Excuse Have You?" This appears to criticize wealthy individuals, though its exact connection to the article remains unclear.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Great System h end of Dufferin Terrace, Quebec, are a severcly simple settees, placed there for the benefit of those who wish to enjoy the magnificent view, or for the crowds who gather on stated evenings of the week to hear the band concerts. lently_ presiding Mis the sc statue of Champlain, bg the artist Paul Chevre. Nearly two hundred fect below flows the sweep- ¢ St. Lawrence, a couple of British men-of- war riding on its surface, while beyond the heights of Nevis afford a background. On a recent afternoon two gentlemen were seated on one of these settees; one was an American, on a sojourn, and the other was a native Canadian merchant. The American had offered his cigar case, and the two were niably discussing certain characteristic differ- ences between their native countries, As if to give point to the discussion there suddenly ap- peared in front of them two female figures, unmistakably merican, They were mother and daughter, and as they ed the following words were heard : ‘o-morrow we shall do the old town.”’ “We shall do nothing of the sort. You know, mother, to shop. And I hate it. We shall VALENTINE FOR A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE prsation) ; 1 SEE YOU HAVE A NYPw—ER— “How dare you oppose me! You have no right to speak to your mother that way morrow.”* I do not care to go to the Falls to 1 T bate shopping and I simply won't— e high, strident voices died away in the distance rican turned to his companion at sounds familiar,” he said, “and rather bears oxt your contention, so politely stated. The average young Ameri an girl is a bore. She overrules her parents, gets ber wa and never hesitates to employ sarcasm or invective. I dis like to admit it, but it is true “It is a pity,” said the Canadian, “ because your are undeniably clever and handsome, although I should say that they overdress, But are they all that way “That is the tendency. I have a wife and daughicr a have strenuously—to use a ar American word —fou against it, At bottom, I should say it was the result of ¢ rcialism, reacting in certain ways against our manner of life; practically speaking, it may be the result of a lick of co ordination between husband and wife. For ex. , my daagh- ter had a habit of coming down late to breakfas' that her act was immoral, because it interfered wit we had established, and robbed us of our peace was for making her go without her breakfast un learn to conform to our rule; her mother, on the other band declared that never could she deprive one of her children of proper nourishment. This disagreement was fatal, of course and the child persisted in her faul “You have evidently reflected considerably upon the sob ject,”’ said the Canadian drily “Indeed I have. I think I have sifted it to the bottom You may be interested to know that I have discovered remedy