Life, 1918-09-05 · page 19 of 34
Life — September 5, 1918 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This appears to be a satirical illustration sequence titled "A Day in Heaven," depicting what the afterlife offers various figures. Panel 1 shows someone at "Pearly Gates" rejecting "undesirables." Panel 3 depicts "Lucifer Tavern-spinning" entertainment with biblical figures (Noah, Solomon). Panel 4 shows a flying trip to Earth for "recreation in home town." Panel 6 concludes with "Dinner of twenty covers in Seventh Heaven." The satire appears to mock heaven as a place offering earthly pleasures and entertainment—taverns, flying trips home, fine dining—rather than spiritual reward. It likely satirizes contemporary American materialism and conventional religious expectations, suggesting heaven caters to indulgent desires rather than spiritual transcendence. The rejection of "undesirables" at the gates hints at social prejudice being preserved even in the afterlife.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
as FZ, Gated ° es Sends Zeer indesirables ee WiioMon of the East— es L home Wer. ni qe oo? 2 Oa y th te creaté yen ae ag Eidpmentin Melby, Way. rag od bag athe kay cd OO Dsaner of 'feents couyes ir Seven Heaven_ A Dayjin Heaven