Life — March 30, 1922 — page 24: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a chimpanzee examining itself in a mirror while surrounded by scattered books and papers labeled "Origin of Species" and other scientific texts. The cartoon ridicules theories of human evolution, particularly Darwinian evolution. The joke plays on the clash between evolutionary science and religious/social conservatism of the era. The chimp's indignant cry—"It's a Lie!"—expresses the popular resistance to the idea that humans descended from primates, which was deeply controversial in early 20th-century America. The scattered books and the ape's gesture suggest both intellectual confusion and defensive rejection of scientific evidence. This reflects the broader cultural "monkey trial" debates of the 1920s-30s, when evolutionary theory faced fierce public and religious opposition in America.