Life — October 25, 1917 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis This page contains two illustrations satirizing life during wartime (likely WWI era, given the "LIFE" magazine context). The **top cartoon** depicts an allegorical scene: a figure representing "LIFE" sits in a vehicle labeled "JUNK," pulled by horses and topped with bells spelling "L-I-F-E." The character appears to be a personified representation of American life during wartime, laden with military regalia and symbols, suggesting how war burdens and transforms civilian existence. The **bottom photograph** shows a small dog standing alone near military tents under moonlight, captioned "THE DOG HE LEFT BEHIND HIM." This appears to reference the human cost of war—specifically, the emotional toll on those left behind when soldiers departed. The abandoned pet symbolizes families and communities disrupted by military service. Together, these images critique how wartime upends normal American life.