Life — September 2, 1920 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 384 The illustration shows cherubs carrying large blocks labeled "SEP," "TEM," and "BER"—spelling out September. This appears to be a seasonal reference to the month when readers typically return from summer vacations. The accompanying text, "How Do You Feel Now?", uses humorous self-deprecation to solicit subscriptions. The magazine acknowledges the common impulse to ask vacationing readers to subscribe, then playfully admits this impulse is annoying. The tone is deliberately contradictory: they ask for subscriptions while claiming not to really want them, creating comedy through ironic manipulation. The page is primarily a subscription drive, with a special offer box below promising three months of Life for one dollar to new subscribers. The humor lies in Life's self-aware acknowledgment of aggressive marketing tactics.