Life, 1925-04-09 · page 12 of 41
Life — April 9, 1925 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents two "Biographies" by Dorothy Parker, a satirical commentary on conformity and social expectations for women. The cartoon at top depicts office workers in exaggerated poses—some contorted beneath desks, others in unusual positions—illustrating the caption: "WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF EVERY ONE IN THE OFFICE TOOK A DOMINATING PERSONALITY COURSE." The satire targets the 1920s self-help trend of "personality courses," suggesting such training would create chaos rather than improvement. The biographies of Lucy Brown and Marigold Jones mock how women of different temperaments both inevitably end up as "perfectly elegant wives" to wealthy men, regardless of their individual personalities. Parker's point: society constrains women into identical roles regardless of their actual character or aspirations, reducing diverse individuals to a single prescribed outcome.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF EVERY ONE IN THE OFFICE TOOK A DOMINATING PERSONALITY COURSE Biographies OW this is the story of Lucy Brown, A glittering jewel in virtue’s crown. From earliest youth, she aspired to please. She never fell down and dirtied her knees; She put all her pennies in savings bank She never omitted her “please” and “thanks” ; She swallowed her spinach without a squawk; And patiently listened to Teacher's talk ; She thoughtfully stepped over worms and ants; And earnestly watered the potted plants; She didn’t dismember expensive toys; And never would play with the little boys. ND when to young womanhood Lucy came Her mode of behavior was just the same. She always was safe in her home at dark; And never went riding around the park; She wouldn't put powder upon her nose; And petticoats sheltered her spotless hose ; She knew how to market and mend and sweep; By quarter-past ten, she was sound asleep; In presence of elders, she held her tongue: The way that they did when the world was y And people remarked, in benign accord, “You'll see that she gathers her just reward.” OBSERVE, their predictions were more then fair. She married an affluent millionaire So gallant and handsome and wise and gay, And rated in Bradstreet at Double A. And she lived with him happily all her life, And made him a perfectly elegant wife. New Marigold Jones, from her babyhood, Was bad as the model Miss Brown was good. She stuck out her tongue at her grieving nurse; She frequently rifled her Grandma's purse; She banged on the table and broke the plates; She jeered at the passing inebriat And tore all her dres: and ripped her socks; And shattered the windows with fair-sized rocks; The words on the fences she'd memorize; She blackened her dear little brother's ¢ And cut off her sister's abundant curls; And never would play with the little girls. ND when she grew up—as is hardly strange— Her manner of life underwent no change But faithfully followed her childhood plan. And once there was talk of a married man! She sauntered in public in draperies Affording no secrecy to her knees; She constantly uttered what was not true; She flirted and petted, or what have you; And, tendered advice by her kind Mamma, Her answer, I shudder to state, was “Blah!” And people remarked, in sepulchral tones, “You'll see what becomes of Marigold Jones.” OBSERVE, their predictions were more than She married an affluent millionaire. So gallant and handsome and wise and gay, And rated in Bradstreet at Double A. And she lived with him happily all her life, And made him a perfectly elegant wife. Dorothy Parker. comicbooks.com