Realism In Frank Capra's Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

She knows that other people have much control over the government and is quite cynical. Mr. Smith is a pure, truthful man who loves and trusts his government. He wants to do what is right for the people and wants to make his country proud. However, by the end of the movie these attitudes change. By the end the events that occur open Mr. Smith’s eyes to how the government really operates. He sees how this one powerful man can control his whole state and turn them all against him. He may still be the same good man he was before but he has had a look inside of how the government operates and may not be as trusting as he once was. Saunders has been filled with hope by the change that one senator could make. His struggle and challenge motivates her and she becomes much happier than she ever was before as she sees how all of her hard work has paid off and that she really has made a difference.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a film about an average man’s journey and experience in Congress as Senator of Mississippi.

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” Mr. Smith was too naive to survive as a senator during the time the movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” took place. Mr. Smith’s naiveté was most evident in his ambitious proposal to start a national boys camp. However, when false allegations regarding Mr. Smith’s motives for starting the camp surfaced, Smith was too idealistic to defend himself from the political machine that accused him of acting in self-interest. Making matters worse, Senator Smith was a genuinely honest and simple-minded man, making it difficult for him to survive among his scheming colleagues.

She can identify the shape of a woman. In her real life she is less and less the woman John used to know and is becoming more of her own person, but her ability to identify with the woman in the paper frightens her. "There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me, or ever will. Behind that outside pattern the dim shapes get clearer every day. It is always the same shape, only very numerous. And it is like a woman, stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern. I don't like it a bit. I wonder--I begin to think--I wish John would take me away from here!"

Once the stagecoach arrives in Lordsburg, Lucy Mallory is carried out on a stretcher. At first, the camera shot is wide-angled and the street is crowded with soldiers and civilians. Then there is a close-up shot of Mallory on the stretcher as she speaks to Dallas. The shot reveals Mallory’s facial expression of remorse. Mallory looks apologetic and offers any help to Dallas. This is one of the final scenes in the film and illustrates how Mallory’s view of Dallas completely changed by the resolution of the film. Throughout the film, Mallory felt uncomfortable being around Dallas. Once Dallas helped take care of Mallory’s baby, Mallory realized that her judgment of Dallas was completely wrong.

      ‘Why?’ " Vivian goes on to say how Grant loves the people in the area more than he hates the place. There is more to it though. Grant is scared he can’t make it in the outside world. He saw it when he was educated there. He shows that he needs someone or something to help him move on, and that someone just might be Jefferson.

We realize that Mrs. Moore is trying to open their eyes to the world around them, when she takes them on a trip around the expensive shopping complexes of the city. As Mrs. Moore takes them through these areas, we get the distinct impression that Sylvia gets angry. She discovers a fiber glass boat that is worth a thousand dollars. Sugar touches the boat, at which she gets jealous. She does not realize at first the reason for her anger, and almost directs it at her cousin, Sugar. Yet she stops herself and realizes that she is not angry with Sugar, rather that something else is wrong.

During the conversation Miss Emily tells the men “See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson” (31). Colonel Sartoris has been dead for almost ten years. Emily’s behavior not only shows mental instability but also that she may be delusional and confused.

Corruption in the United States government takes the power away from the people and puts it into the hands of elite groups and politicians. This corruption is prevalent in the film “Mr. Smith goes to Washington”. The film has a strong message about corruption in the government, and places an innocent and naïve character, Mr. Smith in the middle of the corruption. In Washington, Mr. Smith discovers the corruption that has overtaken the capitol, but does not let it falter his integrity. Although Mr. Smith is surrounded by corruption, he is able to fight the system and bring some integrity back to Washington.

Later on, Janie marries a man Joe Starks (Jody), and they move to a Florida town named Eatonville. Jody hears the town is small and buys more land and orders a store and post office to be built. While the store is being built, Jody is elected Mayor, gives a speech and tells Janie not to give one because she is not allowed, following this, she is angered but keeps quiet Along with the store, Jody wants to put in a street lamp and gathers folks from other towns to gather for the lighting of the street lamp, then celebrates with a feast. Janie complains she misses Jody, since he is mayor and has other duties but Jody states that is just the beginning. Later on, Jody builds this two story house and buys two spittoons, where the residents believe

When protagonist Jefferson Smith very suddenly becomes a US Senator, he is portrayed as the perfect example of nominal patriotism. He has several speeches by Washington and Lincoln memorized, is the leader of a group of what are basically Boy Scouts, and spends his first day in Washington DC in awe of the monuments.

At the end of the trip, Miss Moore leaves the children in front of the mail box, back where the trip started, thus creating a frame for the lesson of social equality. This frame is completed with Sugar and Sylvia's new understanding of the necessity of social equality for everyone. “And something weird is going on; I can feel it in

Smith emphasizes on his desires for acceptance and being simulated into American society, though he gets disappointed since his desire for material success does not eliminate the challenges he faces. In addition to expressing frustrations about the insurmountable disparity between whites and blacks, Smith experiences instances of being cheated out of money and property by other blacks. He concludes by briefly describing the infirmities of his old age. Throughout colonial and antebellum history, U.S. slaves lived primarily in the South. Slaves comprised less than a tenth of the total Southern population in 1680 but grew to a third by 1790. At that date, 293,000 slaves lived in Virginia alone, making up 42 percent of all slaves in the U.S. at

Through Emily Grierson, the author tries to convey the struggle against change. Emily herself is a tradition. Over the years, Emily does not change much even though the world around her is changing every day. Emily is entirely cut off from society to the point where she does not even leave her house. No one can understand why. Emily refuses to have numbers attached to the side of her house when the town decides they will be starting mail delivery. She also has not paid taxes in years, supposedly because her father lent money to the town and forgiving Emily’s taxes is the town 's way of repaying her. When the Board of Alderman comes to Emily’s house, explaining why she needed to pay taxes, her repeated response is “See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson” (79). Little does she know, Colonel Sartoris died ten years prior, which is just another example of how cut off from society she is.

Clarissa is trying to arrange a party to celebrate the fact that Richard has won a literary award, but is getting little help from Richard's ex-lover, Louis. As she labors to help Richard through another day, he wonders if his life is worth the unending struggle. In the end, it is the individual who must determine their own destiny.