Character Analysis Of Citizen Kane's 'Citizen Kane'

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The film Citizen Kane is a mystery beginning in Xanadu, Florida, with Charles Foster Kane on his deathbed. Holding a snow globe, he utters “Rosebud” before dying. Reporter Jerry Thompson sets out to tell Kane’s story, as well as discover the meaning of Rosebud. Thompson begins to interview all of Kane’s known friends and associates. First, Kane’s second wife, Susan Alexander Kane, is interviewed, but refuses to speak about her late husband. The story then moves to Charles Kane’s childhood. Mary Kane, his mother, discovers a gold mine on their property in Colorado, bringing them out of poverty. Playing with a sled, Charles discovers he’s being sent away to be raised by a bank in New York. Walter Thatcher arranges a trust fund to be received by Kane upon turning 25. Years …show more content…

His character is largely influenced by his parents’ actions when they sent him away with Mr. Thatcher. Therefore, he is always looking to be loved, and is constantly driven by his ego to prove something. Kane takes everything for granted, and feels like he should get special treatment because he’s rich. Kane is emotionally insecure, a result of being abandoned by his parents. Trying to obtain power and status, he manipulates the public in an attempt to gain complete control through his newspaper. In his quest to gain power, he attracts many women and friends. However, his attitude pushes people away when they get to close, as a result of his using them for his own personal furtherance. Kane views himself as the center of the universe, and his actions are greatly influenced by his desire for power. Orson Welles created Charles Foster Kane as fictional character. Welles relates Kane to William Randolph Hearst, another powerful, rich man at the time. In many other ways, Charles Kane can also be related to Orson Welles, whose mother died at an early

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