I'm writing this just after class, but I don't think our class discussion went deep enough, so as the title of my entry indicates, I have to write my thoughts down or I will surely soon be dead.
Uneloquently (but certainly thought-out): Kane wanted a normal life; that's what "Rosebud" meant to him. The sled symbolizes childhood and innocence, but it goes beyond just that and also represents the life path that Kane would have taken had his parents not given him up. Kane was built to become the rich guy that he became, and by the time he was given control of his life at age twenty-five, he actually had no control over what would happen. Sure, he got to make his own decisions like buying the newspaper, but he was fated no matter what to be subject to all the factors that determined his life to that point. Writing the declaration of his promises was his attempt to break away and make his own life, but it didn't work out (if it had worked out, there would have been no point for the movie). Instead, he lived the "American Dream" in complete--and ironic--unhappiness. What he really wanted, however, was "No Trespassing." Had no one trespassed on his life and taken him in the beginning and artificially built for him the "American Dream", he would have had his own shot at fulfilling the dream, and that struggle is the actual dream: "Rosebud " is the American Dream.
The reporters, those average Americans, are searching for "Rosebud"; they are seeking the American Dream. What is ironic, however, is that they already have "Rosebud" in the lives they are living. The social commentary comes in here. The average Americans are living the American Dream, but society is aspiring for something else --money, power, fame-- that they are mistaking for the dream. Kane, although he could buy everything he wanted and could find people to love him, knew he couldn't find a substitute for what he wanted the most: that sled.
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3 comments:
I completely agree with you; we didn't have enough time to really discuss the film, and I'm thinking about turning Monday into a general discussion of everything we've seen so far.
But as to your post: your reading makes much sense to me, especially the repeated "No Trespassing" sign we see at the start and the end of the film. The very idea of the "American Dream" and everything it implies (prosperity, property, pursuit of individual endeavor)runs behind all the cross-currents we see in Kane; his life embodies the Dream, both in its glory and its failures.
But why, of all the possible symbols of an innocent childhood, did Welles chose a sled? Any thoughts?
Welles may have chosen a sled because it's not a stereotypical image of childhood. If it had been blocks or something, it would have been cheesy or obvious. I think it's also less likely for a rich child to play with a sled, so it could have chosen for that rich/poor contrast.
If you wanna really read too much into it, though, you could say that the sled rides over the ups and downs of snow-covered hills, representing the struggle for the American dream. The thrill of the sled ride comes from how harsh and bumpy the ride is, so the thrill of the American dream is determined by just how challenging your pursuit to achieve it is.
Yes yes Krystal. I totally agree with your ideas on the American Dream. Watching Citizen Kane actually reminded me a lot about The Great Gatsby. I couldn’t help but find parallels between Kane and Gatsby. Both men started from a lower social class (Gatsby much lower than Kane) and both used their incredible work ethic to become successful and rich American business men. They were both incredibly driven and successful; however, at the end of each of their lives, they were left unhappy and alone. I think that both Fitzgerald and Welles were trying to portray the same idea: the falsehood of the American dream.
America is known as the land of opportunity because of the country’s youth and its great capacity for social mobility. America was founded by those seeking wealth and or religious freedom and was thought to be the place where dreams come true. At the time of The Great Gatsby and Citizen Kane, the country was only 150 years old, and the western states such as California had only been part of the US for 75 years. Because the country was so young, it had tremendous opportunity for growth. Both Gatsby and Kane serve as characters that have achieved the ultimate American dream. The twist is that once achieving this dream of money and power, both characters are lacking the most important thing they were pursuing: happiness.
Fitzgerald and Welles are essentially telling two different stories about the same powerful yet lonely character (Fitzgerald with flowery, poetic imagery, and Welles with dramatic, sinister lighting and camera angles). I also think it’s important that both Gatsby and Kane were so mysterious. It gives the impression that no one completely knew them, illustrating how truly alone these two men were.
Have you read that book? If not you should. I love it. Eee I hope I didn't give too much away.
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