Contemporary Analysis: Industrialization, Gender Roles, and Progress

Go over the representation of among the following styles in 'Modern Times': industrialization, progress, gender. In 500 words your critique of 'Modern Times' need to explain and comment upon specific scenes in the film. Charlie Chaplin's film "Modern Times" is, in itself, a discussion of development and of modernism. It is set in the 1930s, a time of terrific modification and terrific battle due to industrialism and joblessness. The film enraptures its period in a light-hearted style that takes a look at both the positive and negative results of modernity, eventually responding to whether development through loss or stagnancy special of cost is much better, with modernity in its most pure type.

The movie damns modernism for the method it ruins our cultures and traditions, yet delight in the abolition of such ridiculous dreams. Chaplin characterizes Industrialism as a movement that although is designed to speed up production and performance, as a by-product, triggers people damage.

This is displayed in 22:05 and 28:55 where, due to unemployment caused by industrialism, the American family is torn apart.

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This is a prominent style that continues throughout the motion picture, as the little Tramp and the Gamin are both victims of unemployment and the destruction of their houses. However, Chaplin then goes to make fun of the "American Dream" and society's objectives in scenes 55:07 and 31:50 respectively. In 55:07 the rickety, worn down house that the Gamine and the Little Tramp find represent the fragility and downright silliness of the American Dream as it breaks and falls apart under them.

It likewise teases the upper class in 31:50 with the absurdity of starving yourself for social status. It isn't till 1:10:15 that Chaplin begins to takes a stance on whether change is worth the loss when it is exposed that the Gamine has actually protected a task for both herself and the Little Tramp. The reversal of gender functions was revolutionary and totally eclipses the thorough deconstruction of the American Imagine which they had held so dear in 55:07 and 43:14.

The deduction being that ultimately, progress is for the greater good. The film goes beyond that, nonetheless, stating that society is not heading towards true progress and is getting held back by its own sense of evolution through Industrialism. Chaplin continuously makes fun of the legal system, upper class society, and in particular, industrialization. These themes stand for society’s goals and through that, their idea of progress. Chaplin subverts this view by making fun of just how ridiculous all these things are. For instance, machines are shown to actually attack people in the scene beginning at 8:10 and Chaplin’s character is shown literally fending off the outbreaks of a machine gone rogue in 1:02:36. They show no progress and only serve to limit society as all these things have a negative impact on the movies characters.

For instance, any attempts made by the Little Tramp to join the movement of Industrialism ends in prison, which, ironically is one of the two ways to escape society’s pressures and goals. The only other way that the Gamine and the Little Tramp are able to move on - in a state of freedom - and continue their lives, i.e. progress, is by escaping from society and starting again, effectively abandoning everything that they held precious. Chaplin states that the way to enlightenment is to leave everything that connects you to society. In conclusion, Chaplin advocates the very extreme of futurist modernity in “modern times” by stating that change is good and that the only way we can truly progress is by forsaking everything.