Life — May 27, 1926 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "What They Really Say" and "After the Flood" This page contains two satirical pieces from *Life* magazine. **"What They Really Say"** mocks ladies at a tennis tournament who claim friendliness while making cutting remarks about each other's appearance and fashion choices. The humor lies in the gap between their polite public behavior and their actual cattiness—a common satirical target of the era regarding high-society women. **"After the Flood"** (cartoon below) depicts post-disaster survivors celebrating their first tea service, absurdly prioritizing social ritual over survival necessities. The joke critiques British adherence to propriety and routine even in dire circumstances—a recurring theme in period satire about class-conscious behavior. Both pieces satirize the gap between appearance and reality in genteel society.