Prickley Thorn, But Sweetly Worn

After viewing part of “Modern Times”, my first Charlie Chaplin movie, I now understand why Chaplin is considered of the most important entertainers of our time. His social commentary is dynamic and simple, and without words, brings forth a clear message about the status quo of his time. Chaplin created his work for the people, and in empathy, portrayed the common problems of the average American citizen. Chaplin was in a different era of entertainers and celebrities, where his wealth did not undermine his cause to satire the rich and wealthy.

We are introduced to the quirky Chaplin character when he is working his factory job. He is a bolt tightener in a manufacturing plant and is dressed in stereotypical working overalls. He is accompanied by many other manufactory workers that are also doing the same task repeatedly. The factory is looked over by an omnipotent factory manager who tells a strong, shirtless, American hero male figure, to pull levers and turn wheels to keep up maximum factory output. Chaplin halts work to eat, but he is constantly doing the same bolt tightening arm movement. This satirical act has a deep meaning. Beyond the humor of it all, Chaplin is criticizing the value of a human. Although humans can do many things, Chaplin’s character has been doing the same movement with his hands repeatedly, and his worth is in this simple movement. Even when his character is not working, he cannot stop movement of his hands. Are factory workers only good for one movement of their hands? Factory workers are seem as a labor force, but the depth of their stories, past, ambitions, and overall life is lost within the factory where they compared to heard of sheep, which is seen in the beginning of the movie. Their identities are lost, and they are seen as a mass of flesh, rather than unique people. This idea of “being lost in the crowd” is also portrayed when we are shown images of many people waiting in line for food during the depression. Human individuality is transformed into a hungry body that needs food.

Despite the negative connotation of the loss of identity within a crowd, there is a positive aspect to the individual in a crowd. When Chaplin is found at the front of a protest with many people, he is individualized as the leader. The outcome of going to jail is unfortunate for the character, but it is hypocritical of society to ignore individuality when it comes to the benefit of the majority, and ignorant when individuality is recognized when it comes to the benefit the minority.