Why was the structure of Citizen Kane so difficult for audiences of its time?
A) It demanded that they care for unsympathetic characters.
B) Its distinction between past, present, and future events was highly ambiguous.
C) It asked the audience to fill in plot details and order the story out of an elliptical narrative.
D) It covered too much historical time for an audience to properly process.
E) It never explicitly stated when the events in the story took place.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Citizen Kane's structure is known for its use of flashbacks and a non-linear narrative, which can be confusing for audiences who are used to stories being told in a straightforward way. The film also leaves some plot details and character motivations open to interpretation, requiring the audience to piece together the story themselves. This elliptical narrative is what made the structure difficult for audiences of its time.

Why Was the Structure of Citizen Kane So Difficult for Audiences