Life — December 7, 1928 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Stranger Within Our Gates" - Life Magazine This satirical story by Robert Benchley mocks the awkwardness of hosting a visiting child during Christmas holidays. The humor centers on cultural and regional differences: George, a boy from Nevada, has unfamiliar eating habits and manners that baffle his Eastern host family. The cartoons illustrate George's peculiar behaviors—his unconventional way of carving meat, his preference for squash and duck, his father's work as a magazine writer and airplane builder. The satire gently pokes fun at regional American stereotypes (Nevada versus the East Coast), child-rearing philosophies, and the discomfort of hosting someone whose family customs differ sharply from one's own. The piece reflects early 20th-century American attitudes about regional identity and social etiquette.