I would say that in relation to the various ideas Foner expresses in this chapter, Traffic In Souls most represents the rise of mass consumer culture. The film's underlying story consists of the very prevalent trafficking of girls, "white slaves", that occurred during the progressive era. This connects to Foner's idea of mass consumption in a way that those who were in charge of the trafficking profited from their exploitation of the girls, while those who payed for the girls "consumed them". Foner expresses the connection between consumer culture and the meaning of freedom and although at first the trafficking of women does not seem to relate to freedom, there is a connection. Those who profited from trafficking as well as those who purchased the trafficked, experienced mass consumption as a new meaning of freedom. They were participating in a culture where goods were connected to the idea of freedom (as Foner expresses) and therefore succeeding in personal fulfillment. Smaller trends throughout the film also related to Foner, such as immigration and women in the workplace.
What can we learn about American culture during the time period by interpreting the film as a primary historical source?
We can learn that white slave trafficking was very prevalent during the progressive era with around 50,000 girls missing each year. Also, the fact that this film revolves around a female character who, aside from being coerced into being trafficked, represents a normal female role in the progressive era shows that it was not that out of the ordinary for a female role to be involved in society during this time period. It also expressed the disregard for the intelligence of immigrant women as well as the systems of class in both the social and work realms.
What does the film reveal about attitudes toward gender, class and race?
Race was not addressed in this film, and the general focus is on gender and class. Although women were included in the working world in this film, ie- the woman and her little sister working in the candy shop, they are for the most part shown as "trafficked souls" in which there is definitely a feel of slavery. Immigrating women are tricked and then not so subtlety forced into slavery and prostitution, while upperclass men and a few women run the rings. The wealthy who ran the trafficking rings in the film are shown trying to buy out the police when they are confronted about the "Swedish Employment Agency". This shows that the wealthy saw themselves above the girls they enslaved as well as the law.
What was the most important scene in the film?
I believe one of the most important scenes in the film was when one of the men who was running the trafficking ring went into the candy store in attempts to woo the little sister and trick her into trafficking. I think this is important because it was expressing to the audience that not only confused and impressionable immigrant girls were part of these horrible abductions. All women in a way, at least reflected in this film, were not very far away from being either involved, afflicted, or associated with trafficking.
