Life — January 11, 1912 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Life's Problem" - Page Analysis This page contains a poem by W. H. Oulton titled "Life's Problem," depicting a forty-year-old unmarried man seeking a wife. He consults three married friends about the financial implications: - **John**: Reports his gold mine sale covers expenses - **Tom**: Claims his ship sails tomorrow, having mortgaged his home - **Bob**: Admits he's spent his last cent on his wife's Paris gown The satire critiques **marriage as financially ruinous for men**, with each friend representing a different economic disaster caused by matrimony. The poem suggests that marriage inevitably leads to financial ruin regardless of initial wealth or circumstances—a common theme in early 20th-century satirical literature mocking both marriage and women's spending habits. The accompanying photograph labeled "TO THE VICTORS" remains unclear without additional context.