Life — March 27, 1931 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine contains two distinct elements: **Top Section:** A satirical courtroom dialogue mocking Gertrude Stein's divorce proceedings. The plaintiff complains her husband made "no effort" for twenty years; the judge repeatedly notes she keeps saying "twenty," finding her testimony circular and repetitive. This appears to parody both Stein's notoriously repetitive writing style and her actual marital situation, presenting her verbose complaint as absurdly circular logic. **Bottom Section:** A cartoon showing a man entering what appears to be an elevator or confined space with several other figures. The caption reads "You must come over an' hear me swear sometime, lady!" The joke's exact meaning is unclear without additional context, though it likely satirizes social pretension or manners. **Right margin:** Quotes from various public figures offering pronouncements on contemporary issues (drinking, banking, insults), presented as satirical "great minds."