Life — March 16, 1911 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is a **LIFE magazine cover** from March 14, 1912 (based on the visible date stamp). The illustration by Coles Phillips depicts two elegantly dressed women in dark gowns, viewed front and back, manipulating the hands of a large clock face. The title "LIFE" appears centrally, with a caption reading "FORWARD AND BACK." The cartoon likely satirizes **women's changing roles and influence in early 20th-century America**. The clock symbolizes time and social progress. By showing women actively controlling time itself—moving it forward and backward—the image suggests women's growing agency in society, possibly referencing contemporary debates about women's suffrage and social reform. The "forward and back" caption emphasizes this dual movement: progressive advancement alongside conservative resistance.