Life — October 18, 1929 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is **primarily a Waterman's fountain pen advertisement** (right side), not political content. The left side contains literary excerpts—"From the New Books"—quoting passages from novels including *Sober Feast* by Barbara Blackburn, *Rattling the Cups* by Edward Sullivan, and *Falcons of France* by Nordhoff and Hall. These are unrelated to satire or politics. The advertisement's humor is commercial rather than political: it satirizes the common misconception that fountain pens are merely tools for opening cans, arguing that "intelligent people" buy them for actual writing. The illustration shows someone attempting to use a pen as a can opener—a visual joke about misusing the product. This reflects early 20th-century advertising strategy: create humorous scenarios to highlight product superiority.