Life — May 1, 1919 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon by J.F. Kennan depicts a man emerging from a bathtub labeled "LIFE," suggesting renewal or rebirth. The title "Back to Life" likely references the post-World War I period—the magazine's May 1919 date places this just after the armistice (November 1918). The man's exaggerated expression of joy and relief suggests soldiers or citizens returning to civilian life after the war. The bathtub as a symbol of cleansing implies washing away the trauma and hardship of the conflict. The discarded military uniform at the bathtub's edge reinforces this interpretation of transitioning from wartime to peacetime existence. This reflects contemporary themes of veterans' homecoming and national recovery during 1919.