Life — October 5, 1916 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "The Chauffeur" The top cartoon depicts a chauffeur driving a cart pulled by a horse, with small figures (appearing to be sailors or military personnel) running alongside in apparent distress. The caption reads: "GEE WHIZ! I MUST HAVE GOT HIM SHIFTED INTO REVERSE BY MISTAKE." **Meaning:** This is a visual pun. The "chauffeur" (car driver) has accidentally put the vehicle in reverse, causing chaos. The humor likely references contemporary concerns about new automobile technology and human error, satirizing early 20th-century anxieties about mechanical modernization and incompetent operators. The accompanying article, "Feminism an Aid to Sea-Power," discusses women entering the workforce and economic independence, suggesting the cartoon may also comment on social disruption from changing gender roles in the workplace.