Life — July 21, 1927 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts **Prohibition**—labeled at the top—as a tall, skeletal figure in dark robes resembling Death or a grim reaper, wielding a large hook. The figure menaces a small, well-dressed boy (the "rich boy") who appears vulnerable despite his fine clothing and hat. The satire suggests that Prohibition, despite being intended as moral reform, has become a destructive force that harms even the wealthy and privileged. The "poor little rich boy" is ironically unable to escape Prohibition's consequences through his wealth or status. This likely critiques how the alcohol ban affected all social classes, while suggesting its enforcement was arbitrary and harmful—a common anti-Prohibition argument in the 1920s-early 1930s.