Life — February 22, 1917 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is primarily a **house advertisement** for *Life* magazine itself, not political satire. The cartoon shows a well-dressed man on a park bench with a thought bubble, while a small child crawls nearby. The illustration announces an upcoming "Great Prohibition Number" of *Life*. **What this means:** The U.S. was in the Prohibition era (alcohol ban). *Life* is promoting a special issue examining both sides of the Prohibition debate—presenting arguments from supporters ("Milk Bottle") and opponents ("Flask"). The satire targets Prohibition itself as absurd policy. The text emphasizes *Life's* editorial approach: contributors express unfiltered opinions on major questions. The page also solicits subscriptions, noting that missing issues puts readers "one year behind the times."