Traffic in Souls

Traffic in Souls, 1913
Director: George Loane Tucker




Q1.How does the film relate to the chapter in Foner
A1:”Traffic in Souls” was the film that took shot in 1913, right before the World War I. This movie started In New York City, William Trubus who is the boss of “International Purity and Reform League”, indeed; it is an underground organization that kidnaps women, especially, overseas immigrants to do prostitution for profits. Moreover, in order to escape from police’s attention, Trubus uses advice like dictograph and telegraphic pen to contact with the brothel’s operators. At the beginning, two Swedish immigrant sisters become organization’s target. After they are taken to the brothel, a police randomly find the place, and save all the victims. Later on, another case that a candy shop’s employee Loran asked by a man out for drink. However that man is one of the member in the organization, after Loran is drunk, he has kidnapped Loran to the brothel. Loran’s sister, Mary, is so worries that her sister has not come home for so late and not coming home for so many days. As a result, she starts to find her sister by herself, but in vain. Indeed, after Loran’s missing, Mary is too sorrowful to concentrate on her work. Finally she gets fired, but occasionally hires by Mr. Trubus wife as a secretary in Trubus’s office. However, fortunately Mary has the opportunity to clean Trubus’s desk, moreover, indirectly listens to the conversation between Trubus and brothel’s operator. She thinks that this might be have something associated with her sister’s case. After finds out this, she asks her boyfriend, the officer Burke for help. In the end, they find the evident by using Mary’s father new invention, and safe Loran out of torture. Although this was a typical “hero safes his lover” type of movie, this movie reflects some social perspectives and social issues in progressive Era, and illustrates some Foner’s points. First, the immigrants’ issues were raised in the movie. According to Foner’s point, he points out that“the new immigration from southern and eastern Europe had begun[to arrive] around 1890 but reached its peak during the Progressive era”(Foner 643). In the film, we could clearly see that when two Swedish sisters are coming to the United States, how joyful and pleasant they are. Most of these European immigrants were escaped from Europe during World War I. They consider America as a shelter to start their brand new life. However, in Swedish sisters’ case, when they first got here, they were taken to the brothel. I believe this strong contrast illustrates that the Swedish sisters’ case was used to enlarge the fact that how these European immigrants were unfairly treated. Foner illustrates their situation as “they endured low wages, long hours, and dangerous working condition”(Foner 646). Although these immigrants were free from the battle field of World War I, indeed, they were not totally free when they moved to the United States. Foner points out that these immigrants request for “the true freedom”. They were not free with the limited low wages, and little upward economic mobility (Foner 746). In fact, these European immigrants were no doubts, a huge social issue during the Progressive Era. They were still experiencing the social inequity. Women, in this film, is another key point that depicts women’s social status during the Progressive Era was moving upward. For example, Mary and her sister Loran were allowed to work in a candy shop. Moreover, Loran was asked out for a drink case, it is normal that women can have drink and dance in the public place during that time. Just as Foner said “ Traditional gender roles were changing dramatically in Progressive America” (Foner 647). As a matter of fact, before Progressive Era, women’s social role was focusing on family. They spent almost all of their time and energy to devote to their family. A woman’s freedom of having job, go to dance hall was not accepted. However, the Progressive Era gave American women opportunities to work and consume. As the promotion of “Feminism” by more and more people, women’s also have their right in sex. The sexual liberation had occurred.

Q2.What can we learn about American culture during that time period by interpreting the film as a primary historical source?
A2:First, the new technology like dictograph and a telegraphic pen showed up, this represents that America had a great success in accepting new technology and had a modernized society, moreover, consumer freedom. Second, when Loran goes out with a man for a drink this represent that American Women during that time had their own will to decide who she wanted to go out for a date with. Namely, they started to have their sexual self-determination. Third, again, women were allowed to drink alcohol and dance in the public. In fact, this is a great moment to American women, and a great illustration of women’s liberty. In fact, this might be great evidence that points out how American women have their early liberty in having entertainment. Fourth, the emergence of the European immigrants’ gave American a multicultural society. Finally, in the film, even though they had gun fight, there was almost no bloody scene, and little violence. Moreover, in the film, when depicting the relationship between Mary and her boyfriend, there were no sexual imply in the film, and their relationship seems conservative based on their body contact and gesture. In sum, the male-female relationship in the Progressive Era might still be conservative.

Q3.What does the film reveal about attitudes toward gender, class, and race?
A3:In fact, Traffic in Souls did not directly or indirectly mention race. However, in the class part, my own observation was that a strong contrast between the boss of “International Purity and Reform League”, William Trubus, and the two Swedish sisters who just arrive to America. On one hand, Trubus is a typical upper class who has everything he needs; power, money, social status, reputation, and marriage. On the other hand, two Swedes who just immigrate to America, they have nothing but need to get the assistance from their cousin in America. Moreover, they seek for any chance to have a job, a job that might have low wages and long working hours. However, they do not care about wage; their priority is to survive. This huge gap between higher class and lower class in different standard of living and different way of thinking about money might be a serious social problem during that time. The gender, in this film, I believe is the most important element, and well illustrated one. The film used Loran and two Swedish girls as an example to highlight that women were always victims and belonged to the weak side in the society during that time. Swedish sisters are deceived to take to the brothel, and forced to stay there. Loran is drunk, and is locked up in the room, and forced to do prostitution. In addition, when Loran realizes that she is locked in the room of the brothel, she is depressed, crying, and doing nothing. Conversely, Loran’s sister, Mary, although at the beginning when she knows that her sister is missing, she does the same things that Loran did. She is depressed and crying. However, instead of waiting, she asks Officer Burke for help. Moreover, when she works in Trubus’ office, she finds out the whole conspiracy in Trubus’ organization, and uses her father’s new invention to record the evidence. Indeed, Mary became the symbol of the rising of “Feminism” in the Progressive Era. She indirectly told the American women they should stand out to enjoy their freedom, furthermore, earn their own freedom by themselves.

Q4.What was the most important scene in the film?
A4:The most important scene is when Loran’s sister Mary gets the evidence of Trubus’s crime, even though she is in danger be caught by Trubus and his member. Mary’s brave determination to collect the evidence by herself points out that American women can have their own will and liberty to do what they should do, and have to do in the Progressive era. They should not think that women only need to stay at home and take care of their family. Thus, they should have the same opportunity as men did; they could find a job in work place. They could have a great contribution to American economy. They could have relationship with whoever they wanted. They also could drink alcohol and dance. Women started to pursuit their liberty in different fields and issues in the Progressive Era. For example, when the Progressive Era’s women started to think about themselves, what they want, and what they need. This also indirectly established the consuming power of women. They used purchasing as a way to present their form of freedom. This made Feminism more important and vivid to the society. In this scene, the director had the points that, the Progressive Era’s women were more independent, and did not belong to the weak and soft side of the society. Family might still be an important part of their lives, but not everything of their life. Women in Progressive Era might have a question in their mind “Men can why Women cannot? ”; this type of thinking might strongly be inserted in their mind.