Citizen Kane's American Dream

In 1941, the sophisticated and classical screenplay, Citizen Kane was released to the public in America. The motion picture is known to be as probably one of the world’s most famous and highly-rated films, with its remarkable scenes, and use of literary devices. Director, star, and producer of the film were all the duty of one man by the name of Orsen Welles. He stars as Charles Foster Kane, who was ripped away from his parents during childhood, then went on to live a very lavish lifestyle, but never knew what real happiness was. Throughout Citizen Kane, Welles presents the idea of the American Dream as living a rich and prosperous lifestyle, but illustrates at how unsatisfactory that this “dream” really is through the use of lighting, sound,
The film contains a series of flashbacks that tell the story of Charles Foster Kane’s life. All of these flashbacks pertained to Kane’s life all the way from the day that he was ripped away from his parents to the day that he died. The story told in the flashbacks helped viewers see Kane’s American Dream. Like most, Kane’s dream was to have a rich life. In the first flashback, when Kane is playing in the snow, Welles exposes viewers to many bright colors. These colors represent the happiness that Kane received from his child, and although he was an only child he was content with what he had. As the film progresses Kane begins to receive more and more money. After he was caught in a “love nest” with a singer, and soon to be Mrs. Susan A. Kane. Kane’s life soon began to revolve around his money and wife. In later flashbacks, the audience can see that Susan becomes demanding and whiny. Kane begins to age quickly, getting older and older through everyone scene. Nothing could seem to give him happiness. Kane flew into a mad rage when his wife Susan left him, but found one item that seemed to ease his pain, a snow globe with a log cabin. The snow globe took him back to his past, to his childhood. To the last, snowy day that he ever saw his parents at the log house. In one of the last flashbacks Kane’s final words were “Rosebud”, which was the name of the sled that he had as a child. Viewers can see through Kane’s life
He uses these three devices to discuss his argument effectively. Instead of using them to describe the American Dream of living a rich and prosperous lifestyle, he uses them to display just how unsatisfying and depressing that this lifestyle truly is. Welles uses these different filming techniques, not to describe to his viewers how amazing that the American Dream is, but gives them the true side of how it really