Examine how the themes in the final scene of the film relate to the broader meaning of the film as a whole.Through a critical study of meaningful films, audiences are able to gain insight into prevalent issues of modern society because of composers’ use of cinematic devices and construction to synthesise meaning. Orson Welles’ 1941 film “Citizen Kane” explores the corruptive nature of power arisen from wealth on the values of titular character Kane and his relationship with Susan Alexander, and the complexity of human identity, viewed from the eyes of Kane himself and of the outside world.
Nice conceptual focus, this nicely leads with the concept but you have still set up a very character driven analysis. These thematic concerns, which are encapsulated in the final scene of the film, are prevalent throughout the film and by utilising ground-breaking cinematic techniques, Welles invites the audience to respond to key themes and observe the film’s textual integrity.
Little wording issue in that last sentence, "by utilising" doesn't quite work. On the whole though, excellent! Welles recognises the desire of humanity to receive wealth and recognition, and portrays its ramifications in causing the transformation of individuals’ priorities and the collapse of relationships through the example of Kane.
Beautiful! In the early stages of his life, Kane is portrayed as an idealist, as he describes himself as a “champion of the people’s rights” in his “Declaration of Principles”.
Technique? This is retell. Yet Welles undermines Kane’s moral idealism by chiaroscuro lighting which places him in the shadow and Leland as his moral foil, in the light, and foreshadows his later corruption.
Thus showing the audience 
about the desire of humanity for wealth. His initial morality is juxtaposed against his later corruption when Leland returns the “Principles” after Kane fires him.
See how this is just plot description? I know this is tempting, but it doesn't assist your analysis, and for an essay over 1000 words you want to cut as much excess as possible! Kane’s casual tone and simplistic costuming as he calls it an “antique” and rips it to pieces suggest a nonchalance towards moral virtue and serve to show the change in Kane’s priorities arisen from the acquisition of power. In fact, by his own admission, all Kane ever used his money for was “to buy things”.
Retell. Welles frames Kane centrally against giant windows to emphasise his preoccupation with his own possessions in contrast to supporting the “underprivileged”.
Thus showing the audience about your concept. His legacy is depicted in the final scene of the film, where a panning shot reveals the extent of his belongings and highlights the transformation of his priorities. Thus by examining the final scene in relation to the film as a whole, responders can observe the film’s textual integrity.
I don't know the film so I'm not sure if you brought it in earlier without me seeing, but you definitely will need to integrate the final scene more than just a single sentence at the end. It should take up nearly as much, or even as much or more, than the analysis of the remainder of the film. You haven't enforced the textual integrity aspect of your conclusion, due to the high frequency of textual retell.Welles further suggests the transformation of an individual’s character by examining the disintegration of relationships. At the beginning of the film, the intimacy of Kane’s relationship with Susan is revealed in repeated close-up shot-reverse-shots as both characters seek to avoid the “loneliness” which forms the basis of their friendship. Yet after her singing debut, Kane’s desire for power over her causes him to force her to sing operas, despite her vocal desire to stop.
This sentence is retell. Welles frames Susan in a high-angle shot as Kane’s shadow falls over her to show her vulnerability and reflect his self-importance.
Thus showing the audience Welles further suggests Susan’s entrapment in her depiction against a backdrop of statues whilst solving jigsaw puzzles.
Retell. The unity of physical and figurative structures in the statues, which represent his wealth, status and domineering presence, and jigsaw puzzles which symbolise places visible but unreachable, allow the audience to observe Kane’s ignorance of Susan’s desires.
Thus showing them about your concept. Welles depicts the finality of the breakdown of their relationship the final scene where a journalist ironically notes there are “lots of jigsaws”, whilst the audience is privy there is no-one to do them.
Technique? This would be dramatic irony based on your description. By representing Kane as metonymic of humanity, Welles invites responders to observe the threat of the corruptive nature of power on an individual’s wellbeing.
Again, you've not backed up your argument here, you are describing the text using techniques but not linking it to what the audience learns about your concept. We haven't learnt how the text informs us about the corruptive nature of power.“Citizen Kane” examines the notion of identity through an examination of an individual’s view of their own sense-of-self, and the difficulty in gaining an accurate understanding of an individual because of differing views on individual’s actions.
Your topic sentences are very nice! The defining moment of Kane’s identity is in the signing away scene, told through Thatcher’s memoirs.
Retell. Welles portrays Kane through the rigid structure of a window to signify his helplessness, and uses deep-focus photography to allow the audience to resonate with his subsequent desire for stable relationships and innocence.
Thus showing them ?? about the notion of identity. His abandonment also catalyses his obsession with the snow-globe.
Retell. The figurative effect of its glass represents the symbolic purity of Kane’s childhood, but also demonstrates his inability to access this part of himself, contributing to his fractured identity.
Thus showing the audience _____. You need to make this final step to what the audience takes away from the text, completely separate to the text itself. So what if we notice Kane's fractured identity, what does this teach us? Welles further reveals Kane’s complex character in mis-en-abyme, where Kane’s many mirror reflections demonstrate the numerous aspects of an individual’s identity and the difficulty in distinguishing the truth about oneself.
This is better! I'd add the technique of symbolism here though, might work a little better! Welles depicts the finality of this idea in Thompson’s aphorism “I don’t think any word can explain a man’s life”, where Thompson’s centrality within the frame suggests the significance of the complexity of identity to an understanding of the whole film.
These last two sentences were more like what you need! Thus by synthesising stylistic and thematic concerns with regard to identity, Welles allows responders to reflect on Kane’s character as a broader symbol of their own.
This paragraph was better than the others, you made steps to link to audience understanding and you had less retell, better! Welles also explores the difficulty for others to truly understand an individual due to conflicting perspectives on their identity.
Nice. Welles utilises the journalist Thompson as a cipher for the audience as he investigates the meaning of “Rosebud”, yet after his entire search he yields “I didn’t find out much”. His shadowed figure combined with a zoom-out demonstrates the hiddenness of objective truth to responders.
Good! The interviews of Thompson are revealed in non-linear flashbacks, which create a fragmented narrative structure and offer conflicting recollections of who Kane was, denying the audience of an objective truth of Kane’s identity.
Thus showing us ____ about conflicting perspectives. The disparity between perspectives on Kane’s identity is further revealed in the “News on the March” newsreel, where Kane is labelled both a Communist and Fascist in short succession. The incongruent and conflicting characterisation of Kane again serves to demonstrate the difficulty in searching for objective truth. Through an examination of the dichotomy between Kane’s view of and others’ conflicting perspectives on his identity, responders are challenged to be more understanding of those around them.
Perhaps one of the most important factors of “Citizen Kane” in allowing responders to be engaged and enlightened by the film is its openness to interpretation. Cinematographer Greg Toland’s extensive use of long takes allow the audience to become “active viewers” and allows for greater complexity of characterisation. Welles not only uses cinematic techniques, but symbolic devices to allow for the synthesis of construct and meaning to create unity. “Rosebud” serves as the chief driver of the film’s action, yet offers no concrete ‘revelation’ at the end of the film. Thus modern audiences are able to reconcile their personal context with an understanding of the importance of Rosebud and the broader meaning of the film. This means that each reading of the film is distinct and has personal meaning for every responder, which can be taken from the cinema and applied to their lives.
The length of this last paragraph makes it feel out of place, you may want to look at integrating these ideas elsewhere. Thus by examining “Citizen Kane”, insights into the corruptive nature of power and its consequences for individuals’ moral priorities and relationships, and the complexity of an individual’s identity and the difficulty in understanding humanity are attained. By synthesising the meaning of the final scene with the broader meaning of the film, Welles allows responders to gain an appreciation of the film’s textual integrity.
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Topic: English Advanced Essay Marking (Modules Only) (Read 702838 times)