Life — August 5, 1915 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page This page features a political cartoon by Albert Levering titled "When You Obey That Impulse." The central caricature depicts a grotesquely drawn figure—appearing to be a wealthy or powerful man—flaunting money and luxury goods with an exaggerated, manic expression. He wears Scottish-style attire (kilt and sporran) and is literally surrounded by cascading currency and material possessions. The accompanying text urges readers to resist impulsive spending on luxuries, appealing to patriotic duty and financial prudence. The cartoon satirizes wealthy individuals who ostentatiously display riches despite economic concerns. The overall message suggests the cartoon critiques conspicuous consumption and material excess as unpatriotic behavior, likely during a period when restraint was considered a civic virtue—possibly WWI or the Great Depression era.