Life — June 5, 1919 — page 25: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical map-style illustration depicting the American South as a carnival or amusement park. The drawing shows various Southern states labeled as attractions ("South Carolina," "Daskatess") with industrial facilities, crowds of people, and exaggerated landscape features. The caption reads "The Puritan of the South," suggesting ironic commentary on Southern moral claims. Property signs advertise improvements and development. The cartoon appears to satirize Southern industrialization, rapid commercialization, and the contradiction between the region's self-image and its actual transformation into a modern, profit-driven landscape. The bustling crowds and carnival-like atmosphere mock what the artist sees as the South's abandonment of traditional values for commercial exploitation. This likely reflects early-20th-century Northern attitudes toward Southern modernization.