It is the textual integrity of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane (1941) that allows him to effectively demonstrate the need for healthy relationships and the dangers of the exclusive pursuit of power . The film's nonlinear structure, which returns to the gothic façade of Xanadu, also conveys the ambiguity of Kane's character and the human experience. Elements of German Expressionism thus account for many of the film's unorthodox techniques, such as chiaroscuro lighting and distorted sets, which add richness to the textual integrity and heighten Kane's enigma. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Kane's tireless pursuit of power and contempt for integrity can only bring him temporary glory, followed by endless remorse. Kane's eventual downfall highlights the inherent flaws of the idealistic American Dream, which promoted the false illusion that financial success generated emotional satisfaction. Kane's youthful innocence is represented in the childhood scene, where his indistinct cries in the background of a deep focus shot emphasize his blissful detachment from the money-driven adult world in the foreground. However, his reluctant departure from banker Thatcher plunges him into an unhealthy environment of “gold mines, oil wells, shipping and real estate”. Kane's corruption emerges when he signs the Declaration of Principles, where chiaroscuro lighting covers him in darkness to convey a sense of moral ambiguity, thus foreshadowing his compromise between honesty and publicity. His moral transformation leads me to agree with the critic Pauline Kael (1971), who sees Citizen Kane as “the story of how heroes become comedians and con artists,” representing how those who are respected in public often decay into figures of immoral behavior. . The shadowy clash between Kane and Gettys then reveals that the corrupting influence of power is not limited to Kane and parodies a "backroom deal" to criticize the wider manipulation within politics and society. The central shot of his first-person confession, “If I had not been very rich, I might have been a great man,” reveals his genuine recognition of his immoral character and thus questions his adherence to selfish values. Wide-angle shots of the interior of Xanadu then create optical illusions of Kane dwarfed by seemingly normal-sized fireplaces and doorways, to suggest that his sudden helplessness is the result of his own materialistic actions. Orson Welles traces Kane's corruption in his quest for power to warn viewers of the dangers of relentless ambition. Kane's inability to form emotional connections stems from the trauma following his family's rejection, but also from his self-centered ambitions. The growing consumerism of the 1930s pushed many American parents to send their children to the East Coast for greater opportunities, sacrificing family ties in the process. Kane's family separation is compounded by the coldness of Thatcher, whose monotone voice in an abrupt time-lapse, "Merry Christmas... and a Happy New Year," is stripped of any emotional meaning to imply that Kane's childhood it quickly dissolved in the spiritually empty environment. As a result he struggles to reciprocate feelings with his first wife Emily, as seen in the breakfast montage. The scene features a succession of close-ups that continually intersect between the two, which highlights their lack of unity and Kane's indifference to emotional connections. Their growing estrangement.