Reflections in Art: From Agee to Chaplin

Reflections in Art: From Agee to Chaplin

“The World is our home.”
-James Agee

The work of Charlie Chaplin, particularly in regards to his character “The Tramp” is highly reflective of the work of James Agee. The photographic evidence and written prose in Agee and Walker Evans’ “Let us now Praise Famous Men” deals with the same kind of low class, struggling worker that Chaplin brought poignancy to with his tramp character. Agee’s writing describes people who struggle to live on a daily basis, doing everything they can to make the best of their shortcomings and misfortunes. The images and themes of Agee’s work draw a very similar comparison to the images and themes of Chaplin’s work.