Tabula Rasa In Citizen Kane

Tabula Rasa

A newborn is the “tabula rasa” of the world. A free for all to mould into societies’ cultural ways and beliefs. When a child is born, they know only the things around them. Their upbringing continues to determine who they become; love and affection will ultimately affect them positively and anger and violence bides for a scoundrel. A child is wholly influenced through the example set by their parents and what they are taught. Parents that want the best for their kids, try to teach them the right way to live life, establish rules for them to abide by and ultimately contribute to society in a positive way. In the film, Citizen Kane by Orson Welles, Charles Foster Kane attempted to live his life unconstrained but rather ironically,
However this palace brought along its glass dome effect, utter isolation. For Susan this was a living hell but isolation was all Kane had ever known. Growing up with Thatcher disconnected Kane from the world he was currently living in and made him create his own. Thatcher taught Kane all he needed to know about money but couldn't provide what Kane really needed. Growing up, children need affection, Kane however did not receive any from Thatcher. The only thing Thatcher understood was money. Money never mattered to Kane growing up. However, when Kane grew older he began to understand the things money could get him and slowly developed a liking, not to the money itself but the idea of having it. Wealth had never mattered to Kane, but the idea that he could control anything with the amount of money he accumulated fascinated him and allowed him to feel as if he had control over everything. This is exactly what he craved, control, because it was never given to him as a kid. In the film we can see how all the adults in his life dominated him, conforming him to their standards and decisions. So Xanadu was just a stand in for true happiness, and the vast statue collection just an illusion of control. Kane acquired these belonging because he could control them, statues cannot say no. No matter how much money he spent on these, they could not replace the things he cared about most, his childhood. Kanes loss of innocence at such a young age contributes to his selfish attitude as an adult. When those around Kane began to mature in a way he couldn’t, they left him to preserve their own self-interests. This is exactly what both of Kane wives did. When Susan left Kane and all he had remaining was his wealth and Xanadu, his defeat finally hit him. Kane goes on an impulsive rampage, as first selective but then destroying everything in his way, like a toddler at the candy store. But when Kane sees the