Life — September 11, 1913 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine presents a "Poetical" section with verse definitions of literary themes—describing sonnets as "somniferous," love-laden lyrics as "ludicrous"—written by R.H. Dyer. The definitions are deliberately unflattering and cynical about poetic conventions. The illustration below, titled "The Freshman and the Graduates," depicts an indoor social gathering with formally dressed men and women in what appears to be an elegant venue with an organ visible. The scene suggests a college or university social event. The juxtaposition of the poetic definitions above—mocking literary pretense—with this image of social aspiration likely satirizes the artificiality and pretension of academic or collegiate social life, where formality masks genuine feeling.