Thursday, February 28, 2019
Rosebud
Rosebud is perhaps the most famous symbol in movie history. What is the significance of the name "rosebud?" What is the significance of the sled? Is it the key to understanding Kane's life or just one missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle that does not explain much at all? A meaningful symbol or a MacGuffin? Are there other symbols in the film that are more meaningful or complement you reading of the sled (such as statues, jigsaw puzzles, Xanadu, etc)?
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ReplyDeleteIn “Citizen Kane,” protagonist Charles Kane’s childhood “rosebud” sled signifies everything from opportunity and potential, to danger and loss of control. A rose is a flower heavily affiliated with emotion and meaning, often times with love, but in the case of “Citizen Kane,” desire. A bud, in relation to botany, represents something that will one-day blossom into a prosperously virile and vivacious plant. A rosebud is the recipe for lust and potential, something ready at any given moment to burst into a life of color and prosperity. There is a catch, however. While, yes, a bright red rose in its prime is beautiful, its stem has menacingly sharp thorns ready to slice open the skin of those who do not handle the flower with care. A sled is an object associated with fun, an object that throughout history has carried millions of children and adults alike down many a hill with smiles on their faces. This object has also caused abusers of its power to crash into trees and injure or even kill themselves, a candid ending to a day’s enjoyment of a pastime regarded with such glee. So, supposing one were to paint an image of a rosebud on a sled, a simultaneous symbolization of promise, success, and jeopardy would be birthed. Promise, success, as well as jeopardy are perfect words to summarize the three stages of the life of Charles Foster Kane. The middle of his life, corrupted by success, was flanked by a hopeful beginning and an ending consumed by avarice. Like the rosebud painted on the sled would have had it been real, Kane bloomed into success, but since he didn’t handle the rose into which he bloomed with care, he was cut by the prickers on the stem. Equally, after Kane sucked the sled dry of all pleasure it had to offer, the same very sled caused him to spiral out of control into a tree, so to speak. The auspicious “rosebud” sled, “Citizen Kane(‘s)” most meaningful symbol caused the man who abused its might to meet his demise.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Citizen Kane, rosebud is a symbol of innocence and potential for Charles Kane and the news reporters who are trying to understand what it means. The only physical embodiment of rosebud is the sled that young Charles used to play on in wintery Colorado, another symbol of innocence. An example of the use of rosebud as a symbol for innocence is the transition between Charles being taken away from his home and Charles' first Christmas with Thatcher. There is a lapse-dissolve of the sled to Charles receiving a new sled, the lapse-dissolve shows that the sled is important because it's the only piece of his childhood that he saved, a reminder of where we came from. As the audience watches Kane age, the sled transforms into a reminder of the innocence Kane has lost. Rosebud as a meaningful symbol throughout the film is a MacGuffin, because besides representing the loss of innocence at the very beginning and end of the film, it isn't seen much. The word rosebud as a piece of the jigsaw of Charles Foster Kane's life is much more symbolic. In the context of Kane's life-story jigsaw, it symbolizes the idea of potential, a recurring theme throughout the film. In the beginning the film, the meaning of Rosebud aligned with Kane's innocence, because his youth represented innocence as well as potential. Kane idolized himself and had this mentality that he there was always something bigger and better waiting for him to accomplish, he could always do more. The best example of this is the scene with Kane and Leland after Kane lost the election. The extreme low angles used on Kane show how much of an inflated ego he has; Kane is at a low point in public and personal power, yet he so strongly believes in his ability to take back control of the situation. The best example of the word rosebud being a symbol for potential is towards the end when Raymond, the butler, is talking to the reporter. Raymond informs him that Kane would always do and say odd things, but it didn't necessarily mean anything. The reporter then goes downstairs where people are inventorying Kane's belongings. I think the reporter comment that a single word can't define a person or there life is so fitting. While the reporter is saying this to conclude that the only person who knew what rosebud meant is dead, it can also be interpreted to mean that rosebud just like Kane will always be a rosebud, a person whose potential will never fully be unlocked. This intertwines with his statement earlier on, that he would be a good person if he wasn't rich. Rosebud symbolizes how Kane's entire life, he was always searching for something better than his life, but love and happiness were things Kane was never able to unlock.
ReplyDeleteThe name "rosebud" in Citizen Kane symbolizes Kane's quest for love as well as his loss of innocence. A rosebud is the stage of a flower before it becomes mature, which is why the term is often used to describe something that hasn’t blossomed yet. In relation to Kane, his love or heart hasn’t opened up yet because he is so concerned with himself and his status. Throughout the movie, Kane has never had a true love relationship with anyone. Rather, he only seemed to love people to prove a point. For example, his first marriage failed because he wanted to show Leland that he can write reviews about his new wife. In addition, Kane chose to leave his own child in order to continue his campaign for governor. His selfishness in this example explains how his heart never opened for others and why it is probably something he regretted when he died. Not only does the rosebud represents his quest for true love, but it also embodies his childhood and innocence. His childhood was taken away from him at a young age when his parents sent him off with Thatcher. He was also separated from his mother, who was probably the only real person that Kane love. Metaphorically, Kane tried to hold onto this rosebud, but because roses have thorns, he wasn’t able to keep it for long. His loss of innocence is what led him to become this selfish, overconfident, and powerful newspaper tycoon. The sled, which is the actual rosebud Kane was referring to, illustrates this loss of innocence and end of the potential to find real love. Children use sleds for entertainment, however, when the sled reaches downhill, all the excitement dies. When Kane passes away, he essentially locked his heart from ever finding love and his innocence is gone forever. The symbol of rosebud makes the audience sympathize with Kane as it shows that underneath Kane's arrogance and power, all he ever was looking for was real love and a connection back to his childhood. As the ending of the film goes, Kane's rosebud will never flourish as it is burned.
ReplyDeleteA rose. The rose flower symbolizes promise, hope, and new beginnings. At the same time its thorns contrast by symbolizing defense, loss, and thoughtlessness. In the film, Citizen Kane, Rosebud is a symbol of Charles Kanes’ life. “Rosebud” being his last word on his death bed, the discovery of the meaning became a top priority. Kane’s life was fully taken control of and decided by his mother at a young age. This is shown through a scene where Charles Kane plays outside in the snow with a rosebud sled, while his parents discuss arrangements for sending him away to live with Thatcher. At a young age, Charles is betrayed by his parents. Being taken away from your parents, especially when they chose to do so, would make a child or anyone feel like a part of them is lost. This represents the thorns on the rose as he goes to live with a stranger. Furious with this decision, Charles hits Thatcher with his Rosebud sled, trying to run away. This strike shows that while he feels betrayed and lost, there is still hope for the future, as the sled does not break. At the age of 25, Kane gains a trust fund, and is soon in control of the New York Inquirer publishing articles to attack Thatcher’s business. Only to end up losing because he has to sell the newspaper to Thatcher. Kane uses the symbol of the rose as promise, hope, and new beginnings, because he feels lost and betrayed from a young age. He used that as a guide in his life, explaining his last word being “Rosebud.”
ReplyDeleteIn the iconic Orson Welles film “Citizen Kane”, the fragmented narrative of Charles Kane begins with the mysterious exclamation of the word “Rosebud”; as a symbol, Rosebud proves meaningful in its similarity to the life of Charles himself. When Charles was young, his mother suddenly came into a large amount of money. As a result, Charles was adopted by the banker, Thatcher. In his mother’s hope of a good life for her son, she almost apathetically gives her son away. When Charles meets Thatcher, he is seen playing with a sled with “Rosebud” written across the top. Therefore, the sled is a direct connection to Kane’s lack of love and family; Rosebud is the last symbol of Kane with his mother. Similarly, the newsreel style movie’s conflict aims to use Kane’s final word to discover a deeper meaning in his life. At the end of the film, after a quest to hopefully pin “Rosebud” to a meaningful story of Kane, the characters learn the true meaning; it’s just his childhood sled. This realization is a symbol in itself to who Kane was as a person. Despite at one point being rich and powerful, shown through his ability to nonchalantly purchase a newspaper, he eventually loses everything that defines him in the public eye. Unlike what the public initially believed, he is self-centered, unable to love, and cares too much about his wealth. In this way Rosebud is a symbol of Kane; he, himself, is an empty caricature of a person; Kane is masked by the facade of his wealth and power. Ultimately, the search for Rosebud was a meaningless lead into the personality of Kane, as the realization of it being a sled is not the information that the reporter is hoping to explore. Overall, Rosebud metaphorically symbolizes Kane’s emotionless connection to his family, as well as the empty, inauthentic nature of his personality and the reporter’s search for greater meaning.
ReplyDeleteAlthough a symbol for his life before the corruption of money, I do not think that Rosebud plays as big of a role in his life with money like everyone was after. Rosebud, the symbol, was his sled during his childhood, before he was adopted by the wealthy person and before he was corrupted by money. The term Rosebud could mean that his life was only a bud at the time, and it had yet to bloom into a beautiful rose. Perhaps before he died he was thinking about it, and wondered what his life would have been like if he was able to see the beautiful rose his life could have been if it was not for his money, which always seemed to have its negatives associated with its benefits. Although heavily reflecting on it just before death, I do not believe that Rosebud meant much to Charles Foster Kane over the course of his life. Not once was it mentioned by him before his death, and none of the people who were close to him knew what it was. Although it might have meant a lot to him, Rosebud was from another life; therefore, it meant nothing to him throughout his wealthy life, and that is why none of the people from his wealthy life knew anything about it. As to why Rosebud was a sled. It could be because a sled is one of the only forms of transportation a child has access to when they are young, and it could have been his method of transport away from the corruption of wealth.
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