Life — July 1, 1920 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is the cover of *Life* magazine from July 1, 1920, titled "CARRYING ON." The illustration depicts a soldier in military uniform holding a baby, standing beside a woman. Behind them is a large gear or mechanical symbol marked "AMERICA" and "NATION." The image appears to celebrate post-WWI domestic life and the transition from wartime to peacetime. The soldier represents returning veterans, the baby symbolizes the future generation, and the woman likely represents either a wife or the nation itself. The gear suggests industrial/national machinery continuing forward. The title "Carrying On" suggests resilience and progress—the nation and its people moving ahead after World War I, with veterans reintegrating into civilian life and family responsibilities. This reflects optimistic post-war sentiment of 1920.