Life — May 24, 1928 — page 24: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This nine-panel comic strip depicts a man experiencing a series of automotive misadventures. The narrative appears to be satirizing the unpredictability and dangers of early automobile culture. The protagonist encounters increasingly chaotic situations: his car malfunctions, he collides with other vehicles, crashes into buildings and fences, and nearly injures pedestrians and children. The title "The Plaything of Fate" suggests the strip mocks how helpless drivers are against mechanical failure and accident—portraying automobiles as instruments of unpredictable chaos rather than reliable transportation. The humor derives from slapstick physical comedy and the ironic contrast between the man's formal attire and his constant misfortune. This reflects early-20th-century anxieties about automobile safety and technology's integration into daily life.