Author Archives: Lauren Eckert

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” – Significance of Paine’s Guilty Conscious?

I am not sure if I stand alone with this perspective, but I was a bit confused by the ending of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” I am not referring to Capra’s intentional ambiguity regarding the question of whether corrupt power or the common man essentially “wins” in the end, but rather Senator Paine’s role in determining the outcome of the movie. Paine only admits his false accusations against Jeff because of his desire to clear his conscious, but I am having difficulty understanding the significance behind his actions or if there is any significance at all. I understand why Capra would not want the truth revealed through any effort of the common man, as this would paint the common man as victorious. Similarly, it makes sense that the film did not end with the prosecution of Jeff, as this would mean that corrupt democracy prevailed. But, were Senator Paine’s actions simply chosen as a middle ground option to ensure there was no definite victor, or is there more symbolism involved?

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I decided to explore this question by looking at the opinions of others online. To my surprise, I did not come across a substantial amount of discussion over Paine’s actions, as most chose to focus solely on the ambiguity of the battle between the corrupt and the common man and the emphasis Capra put on ensuring the audience left in positive spirits. I decided to provide my interpretation of Paine’s confession and would be interested to hear others’ opinions as well:

During our post-film discussion, we had reviewed the notion that anyone who goes to Washington is having his/her ideals tested. We saw Jeff go to Washington with a positive spirit and a firm belief in the ideals the country was founded upon. Unlike Jeff, Paine has fell subject to the corruption and has adopted the zeal for power over the common man that the rest of the government supports. However, as we discussed in class, Paine essentially restores the old version of himself when he admits his wrong-doings. He is in a sense leaving his corrupt ideals behind, empathizing with the common man, and ensuring justice is served — actions that would have made Jeff’s father proud. In a way, his actions show that the damage the capital has done to him is not permanent and can be reversed if he is simply reminded of morality and justice. Through Paine, Capra may have intended to provide a sense of hope that those who are corrupt may not be corrupt forever and that there is still a chance for true democracy to be restored.

Nevertheless, I still do not have a definite opinion of who truly wins at the end of the movie. I do think, however, that Paine’s actions have more meaning beneath the surface.

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Sources:

https://moviesovermatter.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/mr-smith-goes-to-washington.jpg

Democracy in Action: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

http://prospect.org/article/mr-smith-goes-washington-shows-why-we-cant-have-nice-things

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“Modern Times:” A Title that Withstood the Test of Time

After watching Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times, I began to realize that mechanized, de-humanizing labor is still very much alive today. Pegatron is a prime example of a manufacturer whose workers are treated liked herds of sheep more so than valuable human resources. Pegatron is a Taiwanese supplier that manufactures computers and other communication-oriented goods for high-profile brands. Although Pegatron serves multiple customers, they are best known for their relationship with Apple, who utilizes Pegatron as a contract manufacturer for its iPhones.

Although Apple is one of the world’s most respected and widely recognized brands, they claim to not have been aware of the inhumane working conditions Pegatron employees are forced to endure. It is not out of the ordinary for an employee to work a twelve-hour shift, performing monotonous work on production lines, and there have been instances of individual shift lasting up to 16 hours and workers falling asleep on the line. The average workweek consists of 67 hours, and requests for time off are often ignored. There have been several instances of employee deaths that are most likely attributed to long hours and extreme exhaustion. More than 50% of employees are hired as temporary workers, despite Chinese law mandating that at least 90% of workers serve as full-time employees. The manufacturer has also been known to provide insufficient wages and hiring juvenile workers. Furthermore, factories are located far from employees’ homes, so they live in dorm-style houses provided by Pegatron. Unfortunately, these living areas are very cramped and are known to be inhabited by bed bugs and mold. Exposure to toxic chemicals and a lack of adequate training and safety equipment pose even more risks to employees’ overall health and well-being.

pegatron

After conducting more research on other manufacturers with sweatshop-like conditions, it is unfortunate that even Pegatron is a far cry from the worst cases of dehumanization and slave labor in the workplace. Similar to the factory in Modern Times, Pegatron employees are treated like machines; they are expected to perform monotonous tasks for long hours until they are overtaken by extreme exhaustion. Rather than treating employees as valuable personnel, Pegatron hires the majority of its workforce as temps, who are over-utilized until they “break down” and quit. Then, similar to replacing parts on machinery, the next round of workers is brought in only to be subject to the same long hours and harsh conditions. Ironically, the one human aspect of these employees’ lives – their living quarters – is unfit for human inhabitance. It is unfortunate that the title, Modern Times, continues to stand the test of time, as slave labor and complete disregard for the well-being of humans are themes very relevant today.

Sources:

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30532463

http://www.idownloadblog.com/2014/12/18/bbc-investigation-finds-continued-poor-working-conditions-at-apple-plant/

http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/07/Electronics-Factory-China.jpg