Essay for MA lecture writing and film 2009 (Dr. Makin class)

I have chosen the poem “The Shoemaker Sat” by Charles Reznikoff and the film “Citizen Kane”
in analyzing techniques used in both works:

1.      “The Shoemaker Sat” by Charles Reznikoff

A.  Selection and/or ordering of narrative elements.

 This poem focuses on a shoemaker who works in a dim and shabby cellar around the
time when the Passover starts. While other peoples are busy preparing for the long holidays,
the shoemaker sits alone “in the cellar’s dusk beside his bench and sewing machine.”
Probably he has no family. However, we come to know that he is also getting prepared for
holidays. He invites his friend, who seems to be in the similar kind of poor situation as the
shoemaker, to celebrate the first evening of the Passover. For that purpose he is boiling
a pot of fish on the stove and working hard on the last pair of shoes of the day. His friend
informs him that the outside is beautiful. They decide to take a walk in the park after the meal.

 The speaker cuts three scenes from the above into three stanzas. Each stanza shows a
different phase of the developments in the cellar.

 The first stanza describes the shoemaker’s dim and poor working circumstances in a
cellar even though his hands and fingertips show that he is a hard worker.

 The second stanza tells us that at evening the Passover will begin. Then it tells the
arrival of his friend who appears to have finished his work and is ready to share holiday
celebration with the shoemaker.

 The third stanza now leads us to the climax of their excitement when his work is almost
finished and a pot of fish also looks ready for a meal.

B. “Dramatic Cutting”: selection and juxtaposition of visual elements within one scene

 The first stanza:

The description of the shoemaker’s hands and fingertips “his large, blackened hands,
fingertips flattened and broad” gives us a strong visual image how he works hard. And
that of “sat in the cellar’s dusk” and “Through the grating in the sidewalk over his window,
paper and dust were falling year by year.” successfully shows his poor working circumstances
and isolation from the outside world.

The second stanza:

    The second stanza tells us that “At evening Passover would begin” and presents a
juxtaposition of contrasted details of the outside world: “The sunny street was crowded.
The shoemaker could see the feet of those who walked over the grating.”

    And then a change of tone: “His friend came in.” Another contrasted juxtaposition
evokes a good visual image of his friend: “a man with a long, black beard, in shabby,
dirty clothes. He must be also a poor Jewish worker but seems to be looking forward to
the holidays “with shoes newly cobbled and blacked,” reminding the shoemaker of the
beautiful outside world. The shoemaker probably recently cobbled and blacked those shoes
for him.

The third stanza:

    In the final stanza everything is getting ready toward the excitement of the Passover
holidays: “A pot of fish was boiling on the stove. Sometimes the water bubbled over and hissed.
The smell of the fish filled the cellar.” As his works are almost finished, the shoemaker’s
tension is heightened in response to his friend: “After our fish we’ll take a walk in the park.”

    In the last three lines (juxtaposition) are very effective to show their exhilaration:
“The shoemaker hurried his work on the last shoe,” “The pot on the stove bubbled and
hissed,” and “His friend walked up and down the cellar in shoes newly cobbled and blacked.”
Particularly the repeat of the phrases of “bubbled and hissed” and “shoes newly cobbled
and blacked” are very impressive.

“Citizen Kane”

A.       Selection and/or ordering of narrative elements.

 This movie begins from the scene where the main character, Kane, dies in his mansion
leaving an enigmatic final word: “Rosebud”. A newsreel reporter, Thompson, is assigned to
uncover the meaning behind the final word and starts to interview Kane’s friends, family,
and associates. This film takes a typical order of mystery movies. Accordingly a lot of
techniques of mystery films are used. The interviews are basically done along with Kane’s
personal history: from his childhood when he inherits a huge amount of assets and is
forced to live separated from his parents and then his rise and fall in the newspaper
businesses and a big failure both in his political ambition and in the first marriage.

The final interview is with his second wife, Susan. In each interview, film presents flashbacks
through the eyes of the interviewed person. However, Thompson cannot find the meaning of
“Rosebud” and explains to the other reporters about it. But the film reveals the secret to the
audience in the final scene briefly showing Kane’s sled which has the word “Rosebud”
stenciled on it.

B. “Dramatic Cutting”: selection and juxtaposition of visual elements within one scene.

 In this film so many techniques are used to give strong impressions to the audiences that
I cannot explain every one of them. I’d like to take up just a few examples of “dramatic cutting.”

  In the opening scene the camera approaches a mysterious huge estate through the
“No Trespassing” sign, which symbolizes investigations into Kane’s mysterious personal
life and probably also the riddle of “Rosebud.”

  In one of the Kane’s childhood scenes, the film uses a deep focus shot so that Kane
as a boy playing outside is seen through a window as well as his parents and guest in the
room in the foreground.

  The disclosure of the secret of “Rosebud” to the audience will be a typical dramatic cutting.

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