Charles Foster Kane Character Analysis

In the beginning of the film, Charles Foster Kane is seen on his deathbed whispering the word “rosebud,” symbolizing his longing for his childhood. As he passes away, the snow globe he holds in his hands falls and smashes onto the floor. In many ways, Kane lived a life trapped in this snow globe, forever in search of a lost time when he was truly happy. Kane’s loneliness in life fuels his lack of self-understanding and his sudden forced separation from his family keeps him from maturing out of the obsessively controlling behaviors of a child.
Although Kane grows up to be a wealthy newspaper tycoon, he still lacks emotional security. In fact, because of his wealth, he feels no incentive to move past his narcissistic and controlling ways. Having
The hole in his heart becomes even bigger when Susan leaves him. While Susan is preparing to leave, he furiously tells her that she cannot do that, to which she responds, “Yes I can.” This shows Kane’s extent of being stuck in his own “snow globe.” He continues to try to control those around him because he believes that everything in life must be “his” and must revolve around him. After Susan finally leaves, he destroys Susan’s belongings and tears her room apart because he resents the emptiness she’s left. He is only able to calm down when he sees a snow globe and once again, he says the word “rosebud.”
Although Thompson is unable to determine the meaning of “rosebud,” the viewer knows that “rosebud” was actually the name of Kane’s sled from his childhood. Unfortunately, the sled is burned by Xanadu’s staff, symbolizing Kane’s failure at getting back the love he lost as a child. Although the “snow globe” was seen throughout the movie as a symbol of his childhood, I believe that it has a second meaning. Charles Kane ends up being the man he is because he was unable to grow out of his childish behaviors, so in this way, he is forever trapped in his own snow