Life — December 5, 1918 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is primarily a **commercial advertisement**, not political satire. The page advertises the "Exide" Starting and Lighting Battery for automobiles, made by The Electric Storage Battery Company (established 1888). The imagery uses a mythological reference: a large muscular male figure (appearing to represent a classical giant or Hercules) is depicted with smaller figures including what appear to be Santa Claus, a baby, and a clown or jester. This "Giant that Lives in a Box" is a metaphor for the battery's power and reliability. The Christmas-themed framing ("old Father Christmas," "New Year") connects seasonal goodwill messaging to product reliability. The ad emphasizes the battery's durability and superiority over competitors, positioning it as a dependable service ready to help motorists through difficult conditions—likely referencing wartime restrictions or hardships affecting 1918 readers.