Puck — January 22, 1879 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes divorce in late 19th-century America through multiple cartoon vignettes: **Top left:** "A Hint to Sextons" shows a well-dressed man at a church displaying a sign advertising "Divorces Obtained" — mocking how easily divorce has become commercialized, with churches now seemingly complicit. **Center:** A book titled "Births and Deaths" with "Divorces" added, suggesting divorce rates rival vital statistics. **Bottom left:** "The way to strew the paths of modern Wedding Parties" depicts a child holding a "Divorce $100 Dollars" sign, satirizing how divorce is now casual and available. **Right panels:** Show the social consequences — abandoned families and children questioning their paternity — critiquing how modern divorce undermines family stability and legitimacy. The overall message criticizes the era's growing divorce accessibility and its social costs, particularly for women and children.