Life — June 21, 1917 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Elixir of Life" - Analysis This cartoon satirizes the pursuit of eternal youth and vitality. The six sequential panels show a progression: a man checks his appearance, then increasingly wild and desperate behavior (dancing, contorting, running frantically) as he apparently seeks or consumes some remedy or "elixir of life." The figures become more manic and undignified with each step, suggesting the absurdity of chasing youth. The accompanying text is a subscription pitch for *Life* magazine itself, playfully arguing readers can't afford to miss summer issues. The final note—"when you have read it send it to a soldier"—references WWI, dating this to around 1917-1918, when sending materials to troops was common patriotic practice.