Life — February 11, 1926 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page presents three satirical pieces about women's work during wartime: 1. **Top cartoon**: A working girl tells her mother she must serve breakfast earlier if the mother expects her at the office by 9:30—satirizing the double burden women faced balancing household duties with employment. 2. **"A Boy Must Live"** dialogue: Two men (Joe and Bill) discuss Joe's wife working while he parties with Mrs. Firkins. Bill criticizes Joe for letting his wife work while he socializes, suggesting married men should support their wives. The satire targets men avoiding responsibility. 3. **"Historic Working Girls"**: A humorous illustration shows ancient female occupations (Egyptian dancers, etc.), implying women have always worked—contextualizing current female employment as historically normal, not novel. The page satirizes gender dynamics and workplace expectations during what appears to be a wartime period requiring female labor.