Friday, November 5, 2010

Ending to Citizen Kane

Here are some quotes that i find to be related to Charles Kane:

Money can't buy you happiness but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.
Spike Milligan

Money is only loaned to a man. He comes into the world with nothing and he leaves with nothing.
William Crapo Durant
founder of General Motors and Chevrolet

I say that these quotes relate because anyone who watches Citizen Kane will notice that Kan'es life is filled with luxary and money. He can own everything in the world, as you can see through all that junk he's collected over the years, yet he loses all that is most important. He loses his son and first wife, then he loses his second wife, as Susan Alexander walks out on him. Has he ever had a one true friend in life? i think not. One of his co-workers (i forgot his name) since the beginning of his newspaper company betrays him. And what happens to all the junk in his basement? Everything gets burned, including his childhood sled, "rosebud". One is illusioned to think that hes ever experienced genuine love or happiness in his life. And as you can see, he dies alone as well.
I also noticed a characteristic trait about Kane, that he keeps a hold over every single thing that belongs to him, as it is mentioned in the movie that he never throws anything out. This would explain the massive amount of odds and ends collected throughout the years. It is like a treasure box filled with so many worldy possesions, yet are only meaningless. This also explains his watchful and strong hold over Susan Alexander's life, how he never lets her out of the house and never lets her do anything. In a way, he treats her like a possession as well. He tells her what to do with her life and expects her to do it and he keeps her caged up in his mighty castle, like a lonely pet.
So just to comment on the meaning behind "rosebud",  like everyone else, i'm very disappointed to learn that all this time, the one puzzle piece that everyone tries to figure out in Kane's life is a childhood sled. Like..what?? However, i still don't understand why Kane would say, "rosebud" of all things to say. Also, i noticed that in the midst of trashing Susan Alexander's room, he stops short when he spots a small snow globe. Then, he walkes out of the room in a  statue-like state with the globe still clutched in his hands. Now what is up with that? How does the globe relate to the sled?
I would also like to comment on the scene where Kane is viewed through a mirror reflecting many more mirrors. At first, i really thoguht that the room is an inncredibly large room. But then u see kane march out, with an endless row of Kanes walking out beside him. I think this scene portrays how small in size and powerless he actually is.
I know the class finished citizen Kane a while ago, but this is just to sum up my thoughts of the movie.

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