Life — May 9, 1918 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "The New Craze" Page The top sketch titled "That Pilkins" depicts a social gathering where a man plays piano while others listen. The caption suggests Pilkins has achieved success as a novelist and is described as "unbearable"—satirizing how newly successful literary figures become insufferable in high society. The article "The New Craze" below mocks contemporary trends toward amending established institutions. It references historical crazes (dancing plagues, tulip mania) before discussing the current "amendment craze"—likely referencing Progressive Era reforms. The piece sarcastically notes that everything from the Constitution to the Bible is being amended, criticizing how modern society obsessively revises established norms and traditions. The lower illustration shows a domestic scene with the caption "I'm glad my wife ain't here. She'd make me tidy this up"—a joke about household disorder and marital dynamics.