Pseudo Art

As usual, Connie is superimposing her own relativism onto Chaplin's films. The title stating that the woman's only 'crime' was motherhood does not equate to CC saying that 'there was nothing wrong with producing a child out of wedlock.'

It does for me, or at least strongly implies it. Your response, as expected, begs the question enormously, What exactly does it mean to you? I'm eager to find out.

Given your eagerness, I hate to make you wait too long for my answer with the holiday weekend coming, so here it is:

Chaplin is most likely indicating that unwed motherhood is not a sin on the scale of the sins of the spirit. This is in line with the Chrisian symbolism in the scene.

So, while Chaplin is indeed criticizing the harsh attitude of the prig, he is not necessarily saying that there is 'nothing wrong' with unwed motherhood.

on the scale of the sins of the spirit. This is in line with the Christian symbolism in the scene.

This always struck me as being a comparison of 'crosses to bear,' specifically unwed motherhood vs. Christ's cross. I never saw the image of Christ/cross as being indicative of any kind of statement of sin. I will have to examine this again.

prig, he is not necessarily saying that there is 'nothing wrong' with unwed motherhood.

Well, at least nothing worth getting worked up about. He apparently looked upon it as a social issue rather than a spiritual one.

Perhaps what he is really saying is that people should mind their own business and not pass judgement, because they are as fallible and may be judged themselves...?

The Christian symbolism in THE KID has always said to me that she was being unfairly persecuted, nothing more. ( And it certainly doesn't reflect CC's *religious* views!) You'll have to do better than that, George... Richard Carnahan

Please refrain from personal attacks on other posters, or stop posting.

If you want to fight, I sugggest you sign up for boxing lessons.

Have you ever heard of irony? Is motherhood of any kind a crime? Or for that matter 'sin,' which may be the word usen in the title.

And what evidence do you know of that would suggest that Chaplin *did* think there was anything wrong with producing a child out of wedlock

Indeed, he made _Kid_ during his most adamantly 'Atheist' period.

Could this possibly be a case of George imposing his orthodox religious views on a person to whom they were complete anathema?

Nah!

Connie K.

Comparing unjust suffering imposed on a person to crucifixion was a cultural commonplace of the period

I agree that that it is not a 'statement of sin.' Your 'crosses to bear' idea is close to what I am saying, however.

That is my point, partly. The sins of the spirit of the deadly sins. But a 'social issue' means that there is a social dysfunction there. I don't think that the movie expresses the idea that this dysfunction is morally trivial ('nothing wrong', just that it is not in a category worthy of moralistic contempt.

Which is a viewpoint derived from the moral perspective of Jesus...and which, of course, does not exclude the idea that a behavior is 'wrong,' but that we should not necessarily condemn the person wholesale.

Despite the rah-rah for Chaplin's 'atheism' when THE KID was made, I think that to his credit Chaplin always felt himself attracted to the person and teachings of Jesus and even considered making a film about him.

Yes, there could be a reference. The stark moralism is characteristic of Griffith and uncharacteristic of Chaplin in the silents. And DW was then at the peak of his influence.

And where does the movie suggest that unwed motherhood is a 'social dysfunction'? Or even a 'social issue,' for that matter? The woman is in a fix because she has a child, but has no immediate means of supporting it. She can't care for it and establish herself in her career at the same time. It's an individual problem, a revisiting of the situation of Chaplin's mother, in which events take a very different, 'what if' course.

The only social issue that's being addressed here, IMO, is the shame society unnecessarily attaches to the woman's situation.

It is perfectly possible to be an Atheist and accept some of the teachings of Jesus.

And where does Jesus teach that unwed mothers should be condemned, or that their actions are morally wrong?

Connie K.