Life — December 3, 1914 — page 48: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon by Burt Shackey depicts two small animals—a black cat and a white dog with black spots—confronting a potted plant with leafy growth. A bowl sits in the foreground. The humor plays on the phrase "Who's Afraid?"—suggesting the animals should fear the plant, when realistically they pose the greater threat to it. The joke likely satirizes misplaced anxiety or cowardice: the animals appear cautious around something harmless, inverting normal power dynamics. The cartoon's broader social commentary is unclear without additional context, though it may reference contemporary anxieties being misdirected toward non-threatening targets—a common satirical theme in early-to-mid 20th century American humor.