Our Chuckie, the Mr. Kane of Citizen Kane, is excruciatingly wealthy. Insanely wealthy. Over-the-top amounts of cash.
It wasn't always the case, though. As a boy, Charles grew up in a modest boarding house run by his mom. But one day, a deadbeat tenant at the house decided to pay his bill by giving a coal mine. But too much moolah—coupled with too little love—ends up making Kane worse off in the long run because it turns him into a selfish monster.
Questions about Wealth
- When do you think Kane's wealth turns him from good to bad? Why is it at this point specifically?
- Where does Kane's wealth come from? What eventually happens to his wealth?
- How does Kane tend to spend his money? What does it tell us about him?
- What does Kane think about the other wealthy men of America? How does he think he's different?
Chew on This
Take a peek at these thesis statements. Agree or disagree?
In Citizen Kane, we learn that wealth will often turn a good person into a bad one.
Citizen Kane shows us that the only way to fight big money is to have big money of your own.