Life — November 14, 1912 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine Contest Winners Page This page presents answers to Life magazine's "Examination Paper" contest, offering $25 prizes for witty responses to questions about marriage, gender roles, and social conduct. The small cartoon shows a figure labeled "FLUNKED!"—appearing to be someone who failed the contest. The image likely satirizes a contestant whose answer was rejected. The contest questions and winning answers reflect early 20th-century social attitudes: debates about women's roles (suffragettes, hobble skirts), marriage dynamics, and gender relations. Winners' responses favor traditional views—a wife shouldn't marry a widower, wives shouldn't work—suggesting the magazine's readership held conservative social values. The cartoon mocks unsuccessful contestants who failed to provide "acceptable" answers matching these conventional expectations.