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Changing the World, Classes Divided

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January 31, 2022 by knightra

This final scene in Kuhle Wampe ends the film with the discussion of coffee and who will change the world. This scene is important because it brings to light the ideas of movement or call for change in the economy. What we see through this multi-person discussion is the effects of a surplus of coffee that was destroyed to drive the price of coffee up. The coffee in this scene is the representative of the starving middle/lower class and the effects of price gouging on this class compared to the upper classes which in return drives families and couples out of the cities of no work to camps on the outskirts of town where they can live without the hanging power of class divides and a poor economy for the working class to survive off of. The dialogue and mise-en-scene of this scene shows the viewer the cramped train car with multiple aspects of life and their different opinions on the coffee (representing the economic divide) . Each character of this scene speaks of the coffee and the economy and how it is effective for their class group. The older more defined gentlemen who served understand the workings of the economy within a surplus of goods as well as the younger couple. The difference of the two is the classes of the people and how that affects them, the upper class sees nothing wrong with the increased coffee price and states that their is “cheaper coffee” they can buy and they should be focused on “saving for rent” what they do no understand is the effects of this on the lower class as it has caused a “save every penny mentality” to form when in reality the economy is not focused on keeping the working class on a livable wage or job opportunities.  The line of who will change the world holds power because their society is in need of change and the only ones who will try to change it are those who are being directly affected by its price gouging, job availability, and livability of its citizens.


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