Life — January 25, 1917 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 130 The main cartoon depicts a street scene with a woman and dogs near a fancy automobile labeled "Quick Lunch." The satirical caption mocks the vehicle as an "up-to-date girl" and lists absurd features: "1917 model, O.D. hair, demountable figure, quick pick up, good for any speed, no crank lamps, doesn't waste gas, self-starting, one-man control, and non-skid morals for slippery going." This is satirizing the "modern woman" of 1917—particularly the "flapper" type—by comparing her to an automobile with interchangeable parts and mechanical features. The joke plays on anxieties about women's changing roles, morality, and independence during the WWI era. Terms like "demountable figure" and "non-skid morals" sarcastically reference both automotive innovation and concerns about loose female sexuality.