Life — September 27, 1917 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Worms Will Turn" This satirical cartoon depicts a massive crowd of small figures (the "worms") on the left side, with scattered individuals on the right appearing to flee or resist. The title "The Worms Will Turn" references the proverb that even the most oppressed will eventually rebel. The image uses scale and density to satirize class conflict—the densely packed multitude representing common people or the working class, contrasted against isolated figures fleeing before them. This likely comments on labor unrest, social upheaval, or revolution, suggesting that the downtrodden masses will eventually rise against those in power. The cartoon's exact historical context is unclear without additional publication information, but it appears to address anxieties about popular uprising or class revolution during a period of social tension.