Life, 1915-10-28 · page 32 of 52
Life — October 28, 1915 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous domestic dialogue satirizing parental hypocrisy and self-deception. Harold asks his father to define "fanatic," and his mother has already told the boy that his father *is* one—a golf fanatic and political fanatic who won't listen to anyone else. The father, oblivious to the trap, launches into a self-congratulatory lecture about fanatics being people obsessed with single ideas they force on others. He then references Josephus Daniels (Secretary of the Navy under Wilson, famous for prohibiting alcohol in the navy) as an example—seemingly unaware that this perfectly describes *himself*. The satire works through dramatic irony: the father's pompous explanation of fanaticism inadvertently proves the mother's point, while he believes he's demonstrating his superior wisdom. The joke is that adults often lecture children while missing obvious truths about themselves, and that mothers are cleverly manipulative. The bottom cartoon appears unrelated—a separate vignette about a cat's tongue and housemaid's knee.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
812 Harold and His Pa AROLD was busily engaged on his home work as his father, coming in from playing golf, flung himself into a chair. The subject of Harold’s cogi- tations was English composition. “Say, father,” he said, “what is a fanatic?” “One moment, my boy,” said Har- old’s father, who was rather jubilant over a fairly good score. “ I'm glad you asked that question. I’m just in the mood for mental work. Nothing like an afternoon in the fresh air to tune up one’s brain. Also, I'm glad to see that you are acquiring a scientific vo- cabulary and a nice distinction in the art of words. That is my strong point Now, as a proper basis, first let me get your idea of what a fanatic is; we can build up from that.” “Well, I asked mother before she went out, and she said you were one.” “Um. What particular species of fanatic did she say I was “She said you were several kinds—a golf fanatic and a political fanatic — and some others.” “Oh, there were there?” “Yes, sir, and when I asked her then just w fanatic was she said it was some one who thinks he knows it all about some one thing and won't give any one else any rest about it Judging by his actions, this seemed greatly to delight Harold's father. There was almost a quiver of joy in his face as he replied: By Jove, Harold, your mother is a clever woman! Now, if I were a small, narrow-minded man, I should resent a statement like that intended, perhaps unconsciously on your mother’s part, to undermine my influence over you. But, on the contrary, I welcome it for the opportunity it gives me to enlighten you. Every father—if he is made of the right material—ought to be in such an impregnable position that no weak humor, no mean satire, no. species of rank misrepresentation, can affect his mental standing. My boy, your mother is right and I want to make this point clear to you. We are all fanatics in a greater or lesser de- gree. Your mother is one, Harold.” This statement made Harold smile. others, were om (te cd ea “Yes, father,” he replied, “she told me you would say she was.” “Ho! Then you have talked this over together, have you?” There was, perhaps, just a shade of irritation in Harold’s father’s voice, which made Harold hasten to explain. “Oh, no, father! Honest! All mother did was to tell me what you were, and then she said that if I told you, you would say that she was what she said about you.” “And I suppose she smiled sweetly when she said this—your dear mother has such a lovely smile!” No, father, she just said it as if she didn’t care; but I want you to tell me what a fanatic is, because you are always so patient with me and you know so much and you make things so clear.” “Hum! I should hope, Harold, with all my experience as a man among men, and the reputation I have in this com- munity as a clear thinker, that I'd still be able to put a few fundamental truths in a simple way so that a bright boy like you can understand them; and T am glad that you, at least, have some faint appreciation of my powers in this respect. Listen to me carefully, there- fore. A fanatic is a man who gets carried away with a single idea, and then tries to force all other people to adopt that idea. You've heard of Josephus Daniels, haven't you?” TONGUE, WE WE LFARN THAT HOUSEMAID'S KNEE IS At this Harold, who was full of youthful enthusiasm, actually clapped his hands. “Oh, now I know what you are going to say, father,” he exclaimed. “I see it all. Mr. Daniels wanted everybody in the navy to drink grape-juice, so he is a grape-juice fanatic, and Mr. Bryan used to be a free silver fanatic, and now he's a peace fanatic, and Mr. Roosevelt is a liar fanatic, and mother is a pie fanatic because she makes pies and wants to force us to eat them, and my teacher is an all around fanatic because she wants to force all her ideas upon me.” “Wonderful, my boy! You have a great mind. And the opposite of bein; fanatic is to be temperate in all things. Be well balanced, my son. Be like me.” “But, father, mother says when you are not explaining your superb game of golf to outsiders you are talking politics—which she says you don’t un- derstand —and you smoke twenty cigars a day, and—— At this moment the door opened and Harold's mother entered. Harold’s father nodded his head gravely. “As I was saying, Harold,” he ob- served, “be temperate in all things. Be like your mother. She's the perfect model for you to follow.” 5 5) Sta NOTICE THAT IT 15 SUFFERING THE MOST EXQUISITE AGONY. THUS T A FATAL DISEASE.” (Vivisection becomes a part of Wisconsin's school program) comicbooks.com