Life — July 29, 1920 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "The Clothes of Yesteryear" This page presents a sentimental poem by Jennie Betts Hartswick celebrating old, worn clothing—"the garments of yesteryear"—found in attics and drawers. The poem romanticizes these tattered items as treasured memories. The two illustrated scenes below depict contrasting economic scenarios. The left panel shows what appears to be a poorer family in humble circumstances, while the right shows a wealthier household. The caption "COMPARATIVE VALUES" with dialogue about "been fish'n" and "two of them" suggests the satire: the cartoonist is mocking the disparity between social classes and their material possessions, implying that old clothes hold equal or greater sentimental value regardless of economic status. The humor lies in this ironic juxtaposition of sentiment versus actual wealth.