Topic: "What led to Kane's downfall?"

Orson Welles' film, "Citizen Kane", depicts the protagonist's demise as fuelled by the implications of its pervasive motif; "Rosebud". Charles Foster Kane forfeits a connection to society, love, and is immersed with loneliness at the time of his death. Kane pursues the ideals of love, happiness, simplistic values, and possesses an ingrained desire to avoid loneliness; which are evoked by his separation from them during his childhood. The irony of "Rosebud" is that it symbolizes Kane's attempted connection to them, yet synchronizes his fall.

"Kubla Khan" desires love to encompass his existence. Kane is separated from an association to love upon his departure from "Little Salem", and thus a need for its presence dominates his focus. The "newspaper man (‘s)" political campaign is a deliberate device to instill "the love of the people" into his consciousness, and compensate for the residual emptiness he expresses. The protagonist labels himself a "tireless and fighting champion" for the "slum child" and the "underprivileged" so that society will potentially invoke a love for such altruistic motives. However, the intense irony is that, "he didn't have any (love) to give". Kane was essentially driven to acquire love rather than express it, which is conveyed by the recurring symbol of jewels. The usual social context is that one gives in order to express their inner emotions, yet the further irony is that Kane gives to evoke a love to be channeled towards himself. Thus, "the only thing he ever wanted out of life was love", but his flawed avenue to obtain it taints his character and synchronizes his fall, as society maligns such a concept.

"Xanadu's Landlord" pursues an association with "The Inquirer" to generate happiness. Kane becomes involved with the "philanthropic enterprise" to criticize the spectrum of society that instigated the decadence of his earlier life, and inspire a sense of inner satisfaction as a result. Furthermore, Kane's chosen avenue to ascertain a connection to happiness possesses an underpinning flaw. The "newspaper man" inevitably comes to perceive that success will engender happiness. This perception catalyzes Kane's monomanic pursuit of "circulation" and incorporation of "The Declaration of Principles". Thus, Kane's quest for a connection to the ideal of happiness becomes suffused by personal interest, and "Kubla Khan" inexorably forfeits his focus on the elements of his life that truly matter. This characteristic detaches Kane from a society that sequentially, "ceased to trust him...ceased to listen to him," because his tainted values are of no resemblance to those emanated by the collective society.

"Charles Foster Kane" avoids the loneliness he was subject to after separation from his former tranquil existence in Colorado. Kane's life is enveloped by others who have the inability to transcend his expectations of what will fulfill his life. This trait is underscored during the montage of Kane's first meeting with Susan, as he confesses, "I know too many people, I guess we're both lonely". The protagonist undertakes a "shameful...ignominious" marriage with "awful ignorant" Susan because he innate innocence is reminiscent of that which he possessed during his own childhood. Thus, he perceives that the union will be an avenue to rid him of residual loneliness. However, the interwoven irony of Kane's perspective is that it catalyzes him to develop possessive characteristics. This trait is suggested when Kane claims that Susan, "cant", him to live alone in his "private monument". This concept of Kane is also suffused by the fractured promise of his mother, that he "won't be lonely". Thus, the protagonist's attempts to avoid loneliness are essentially flawed and inexorably enhance the fluidity of his demise.

Kane pursue simplistic "American" values upon "independence" from the constraints of his guardian, Walter Parkes Thatcher. Kane's motive to connect with a life neglect of the essential pressures of possessing "the world's sixth largest private fortune" is emphasized by his temporary residence at "The Inquirer" editor's office. However, "Kubla Khan(‘s)" value of such ideals contributes to his desire and esteem for the American Dream; the passage from rags to riches, whilst maintaining an ingrained connection with benevolent ideals. The irony of Kane's perception is that the pervasive message of Welles' film is that the American Dream cannot be achieved. This view is highlighted by Kane's "pleasure palace" which remained "still unfinished" at the time of his death. This image symbolizes that despite the magnitude of his wealth it does not engender a connected to desired values. Thus, the "newspaper man(‘s)" attempt to reconnect with simple American ideals catalyzes a cascade which limits Kane's connection to society, it synchronizes his ominous demise.

Orson Welles' drama, "Citizen Kane", suggests that "Charles Foster Kane" suffered his spiral into a reclusive existence as a direct result of a pursuit to realize the ideals which he forfeited in childhood. The recurring symbol "Rosebud" figuratively demonstrates that such ideal encapsulated happiness, love, simple values, and a need to avoid loneliness. However, the implications of Kane's utterance at his death provide an aural metaphor for his essential failure to connect with them, since their pursuit engendered negative change upon his life, and thus hastened his passage to become "a man who lost almost everything he had".