The American Dream is the belief that hard work and perseverance are capable of achieving wealth regardless of social class. This is initially shown in Kane's childhood flashback which begins with happy music showing Kane playing alone but still happy, but as soon as Thatcher is brought into the frame the happy music disappears foreshadowing a loss of happiness as well as the breakup of the family. Kane is shown outside playing in the snow while the adults decide on his future, the use of deep focus allows both the adults in the foreground and Kane in the background to be clear and visible. Kane, even though he was alone, was shown to enjoy life, however when Thatcher enters his life and trades emotional security for financial security, his happiness disappears. However Kane's lack of emotional security since childhood has made him emotionally insecure, this is demonstrated in the visual metaphor of Kane's reflections in the mirror. The mirrors reflecting Kane alone indicates Kane's loneliness, this is emphasized as he walks straight in front of the mirrors symbolically illustrating that Kane does not recognize his loneliness. The many Kanes reflected in the mirrors also demonstrate that there are numerous different Kane personalities. Because of the illusion created among the audience