Life, 1920-11-04 · page 18 of 60
Life — November 4, 1920 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* (a satirical publication) contains several pieces mocking American social attitudes circa early 20th century. The main cartoon shows a caricatured man being dragged by what appears to be a woman or force, captioned "ONE ISN'T—THAT'S ALL." It likely satirizes masculine pretense or social climbing. **"To Win and to Hold"** parodies debate among unmarried women about what men want, with each woman (Managing Woman, Blonde, Bachelor Girl, Cultured Woman) offering contradictory advice. The satire targets both the confusion women face about courtship expectations and male inconsistency. **"We Defend One of Our Hobbies"** defends literary parody against British criticism, citing *Fitzgerald's Rubaiyat* and *F.P.A.'s* parodies of *Sam Pepys's Diary* as legitimately loved despite mockery. **"The Class Struggle"** shows working-class Irish characters (Mr. and Mrs. Leigh Borah) debating entertainment value—he prefers a five-dollar movie to opera because it's "classy" and understandable. The satire mocks working-class attempts at respectability and cultural aspiration. The bottom photograph's caption makes a joke about free childcare.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“The Problem” (With Grateful Thanks to R, W. Emer son) LIKE a lord, I like a crown, I love the titles of renown; And in my heart heraldic signs Gleam with the lure of outlawed wines— But such fair things are not for me; I'm pledged unto Democracy. E,W. De K. To Win and to Hold HE U: rried Ladies’ League held an informal tea one afternoon, fen never grow up,” remarked the Managing Woman, “They always like to be guided, scolded and told what to do.” “Oh, no,” contradicted the Insipid Blonde. “They like to be flattered, ad- mired, and made to feel a woman is de- pending on their strength.” “They like a pal,” said the Bachelor Girl decisively. “They want a girl to swim, row, play tennis and golf, dance, and do things they do.” “Only,” smiled the Cultured Woman sweetly, “the men that are worth having are not athletic. They live in a world of James MONTCOMERY RAGS ONE ISN'T-THAT’S ALL They boast down at Harvard of Stieger, Whose interest in life was so meager, |e A bull full of pep Couldn't quicken “ Stieg’s"” step— It is wretched bad form to seem eager! We Defend One of Our Hobbies HE London Saturday Keview (so we read in a contem- porary) is agitated because a parody of Boswell's Johnson is running in another London paper. The Saturday Review protests that parody is a regrettable trick because it tends to diminish the respect for the thing parodied. We think our London friend is unduly tremulous, What poem, for instance, has ever been more repeatedly and violently mimicked than Fitzgerald's “ Rubaiyat"? And yet who would be fierce enough to say that our love and loyalty to the deathless cynical quat- rains are the less for that reason? To come nearer home, are there not many readers who have gone with enjoyment to Sam Pepys's Diary simply because he has been so engagingly and wittily parodied by F. P. A. in the New York Tribune? We feel that parody, while not often a high art, is a pleasing and legitimate one, and we are impatient when strongarm intel- lectuals rule it out of court. Cc. M. The Class Struggle RS. LEIGH BORAH: Patrick, we should buy a season ticket for the opera. Mr. Leicu Boran: Go ’way wid ye! Shure an’ I jist found a movie house that charges five dollars, It’s jist as classy, an “GRANDMA'S HAD MOST ALL THE BIRFDAYS, ‘AT'S WHY I'VE besides it’s understandable. HAD ON'Y FREE” comicbooks.com