Citizen Kane

A story about how we look back on our lives. In one of his lowest moments and in his near dying breath, Charles Kane remarks back to the memory of when his life changed - his overnight inheritance at the age of eight and being whisked away to live a refined life in the city. We see his early adult years where he pointedly rejects and stands opposed to his wealthy circumstance. His character as a burgeoning newspaper man is admirable - literally publishing his ‘declaration of principals’ at his paper. Next, we see his evolution into politics. He’s grown into a man who can be drawn into less favorable actions: adultery, stirring rhetoric, prideful ignorance. Finally, we see him late in life, a man with thousands of meaningless statues, a near empty mansion, and a loveless marriage. I think “Rosebud” is Kane’s questioning of who he would’ve been had Thatcher never shown up to his house, whether he could’ve kept his bold, youthful ideals or the money always would’ve changed him. “A fellow will remembers a lot of things you wouldn’t think he’d remember” As we all do, we look back on certain moments in our lives as being consequential points that influenced who we are. And inevitably wonder how we’d be different if fate had fallen a different way.