Who Is To Blame In The Movie Modern Times?

Modern Times was an eye opening film that illustrated the results of an increasing industrialization along with devastating effects leading to the Great Depression. The main concerns during the time period in which the movie was released was unemployment, poverty, and hunger. Charlie Chaplin, director and star of Modern Times, demonstrated all of those factors with the addition of emphasizing how humanity was compelled to being in factories and machines, relating to the idea of the “American Dream” and/or the “pursuit of happiness”. The Tramp was a cheery and hopeful man, even though he often found himself in odds with society and the people around him. Chaplin believed that mechanic labor should have benefited humanity, but the opposite occurred and removed it from the individual. The first scene of the movie, even though shown from a comedic point of view, sent out a very important message. When Chaplin had a nervous breakdown and wrenched anything that looked like a screw, this demonstrated how mechanic labor required no thought or creativity. After doing the same, dull thing for so long, it began to dehumanize the people working in the factories. This film included some scenes that underlined the

What am I worth, Deb? Is it my fault that I am no better? My fault? My fault?" (Davis 13). At this point in the book, he had lost faith and hope in humanity, and started to blame himself for his life style which was the typical attitude of many others in the working class. Charles Beard, one of the most influential historians in the 20th century, had attempted to give the working poor some courage during their troubling times. As he stated, “When it’s dark enough, you can see the stars” (Beard 268). I felt the message he was giving out was that no matter how difficult your life was now, at some point you would see the stars, which was a symbol of hope that was intended to spread throughout the working