This poster designed by Saville Lumley was created in 1915 - a year into the first world war and was designed to help recruit more soldiers to the British army.
It essentially plays on guilt and shame by creating a preview of how society would judge those that did not contribute anything during the war. It is aimed at the middle to upper classes, those that felt they were too good to have to join the army or that they had too much to lose. It could be said that the working classes were more proud and passionate and more easily encouraged to fight in the war.
The image and accompanying text are both personal and forceful. Personal in the sense that the father figure couldn't lie to his children about what he did or didn't do during the war and forceful by implying that when the 'great' war was won he would accept glory for it even though he did not deserve it.
Subtle symbolic influences are included such as the red rose curtains, fleur-de-lit pattern on the armchair and 'guardsmen' style soldiers (even though they wouldn't have looked like this) to try and instill some patriotism amongst the middle and upper classes.
Overall it presents an uncomfortable vision of how you would be perceived had you not contributed to the war efforts.
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