Life — December 16, 1915 — page 17: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a humorous domestic scene depicting a child's cheeky moral logic. An adult (likely a parent) confronts a boy named Bobby for stealing his brother James's candy, pointing out he's violated the Eighth Commandment ("Thou shalt not steal"). Bobby's retort applies clever biblical reasoning: he argues that since he'll break a commandment anyway, he might as well actually steal the candy rather than merely *covet* it (the Tenth Commandment: "Thou shalt not covet"). His logic suggests committing the act is somehow preferable to harboring the desire—a playful inversion of moral teaching. The cartoon satirizes childhood sophistry and how children rationalize misbehavior through twisted reasoning. It's gentle domestic humor typical of early 20th-century American satire, using religious framework for comedic effect.