Life — November 16, 1916 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This *Life* magazine page contains three separate satirical pieces: 1. **"Temptations of the Grocer's Wife"** (main illustration): A domestic scene showing what appears to be a grocer and his wife at a table, likely depicting marital temptation or infidelity—a common Victorian/early-20th-century comedic trope. 2. **"Evolution of Thanksgiving"**: Satirizes how Thanksgiving observance changed from ancient pagan sacrifice through Christian fasting to modern secular celebration—critiquing the shift from religious meaning to commercialized tradition. 3. **"Midnight Oil"**: A joke about college students burning "midnight oil" (studying late). Modern usage has changed it from studying to other activities—here portrayed as burning oil for practical purposes instead. 4. **"All He Could Do"**: A clergy joke about forgiving enemies by strategically positioning them to be sympathized with rather than forgiven.