Baggage

Baggage 

Rushmore, one of the top prestigious private schools in the nation, harbors all variations of wealth and pain. In this still, the steel grill of Blume’s sleek, black Cadillac is completely in focus, and attracts the viewer’s full attention. The combination of the car, and Rushmore’s ornate stone-bricked buildings in the background, gives off an overwhelming theme of luxury. Inside his car, a tree’s shadow falls upon Blume as he sits in the driver’s seat. Staring straight ahead, Blume practically ignores his son who is facing him, speaking in mid-sentence, and although his facial expression is unclear, it is obvious that Blume is not mentally present within the car. Instead, he is drifting in his own thoughts, most probably assessing the negative aspects of his life. The placement of the Cadillac, shadow, and buildings, convey that although Blume is surrounded by wealth and family, he is still emotionally detached, and sits in the shadow of his own depression. Like Holden from The Catcher in the Rye, Blume’s riches do not make up for the lack of intimacy he craves from human love. When asked if his net worth exceeds 10 million dollars, Blume replies with a thoughtless “Yeah, I guess so.”, brushing off what is of high value to so many others. Blume seems to have no materialistic interests, and similarly to Holden, his hate cripples his ability to sustain healthy relationships and interferes with his love for his sons, wife, and eventually: his affair with Rosemary. The root of Blume’s depression is unclear, but it is evident that something heavy is preoccupying his thoughts, leading him to have an unhappy social life. A fitting object to add to this scene would be Holden’s genuine leather suitcase lying on the grass adjacent to the car. Like Blume, these suitcases have an extravagant exterior that conceals the baggage within.