Life, 1921-09-29 · page 3 of 34
Life — September 29, 1921 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes modern youth and women's independence in the 1920s. The upper section praises "Miss Dolly Doll" for her multi-talented qualifications—athleticism (tennis, boxing, swimming), artistic skills (sketching, batik design), and intellectual pursuits (philosophy, languages, cooking). The tone is gently mocking the "New Woman" ideal of the era. The lower cartoon depicts three young people, with a girl named Aby (age ten) boasting she'll spend her savings on a permanent wave (a fashionable hairstyle treatment), while her brother George scornfully questions this frivolous expense. The joke satirizes youth consumerism and vanity—even children prioritizing trendy appearance over sensible financial planning. This reflects 1920s anxieties about changing social values and youth culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
I Her Qualifications (Any Press Agent Speaks) \ ASS DOLLY DOLL’S a devotee Whenever she has time to spare, i Of tennis, boxing, swimming, riding; She studies drama, epics, ballads. And, oh, how well she can prepare You never would suspect that she fl : P Roast chicken, creams and dainty salads! So many varied gifts is hiding. Philosophy is her delight; Her aim in foreign tongues is deadly. She is a connoisseur of art; — ae She could have won a name at sketching; . ‘ 5 And she appears to-morrow night \nd she produces quaint and smart In Whozit’s girl-and-music medley. Batik designs and dry-point etching. Robert A. Simon, Our Modern Youth George (scornfully): What.are you going to do with all that money you've saved?—buy a Rolls-Royce, I suppose. Alys (age ten): Oh, deah no!—I’m going to blow this in on a permanent wave. comicbooks.com