Who to Blame

The director of Children of Invention based his story on his real experiences during his youth. Like the family in the film, he had a mother involved in many pyramid schemes and he was an older brother with a younger sister. I would argue that this fact, along with some scenes from the movie, help to paint a picture of the director's exigence.

The clearest, and most obvious, exigence of this film is to inform. This family depicts what was a common situation for many poorer families, and especially immigrant families, during the 90's. The film offers a view of all levels of these schemes. He shows the upper levels and their manipulation of potential members. He shows the need of the poor families, and their hope for a better life which leads them to risk great deals of money on such ventures. He also shows the effect these schemes have on the children of families involved,  on those who are caught participating in them, and on those who lose their money to them. Elaine of course plays multiple roles. She loses money to a scheme as the film opens, but is responsible for recruiting people who lose their investment as well.

This creates a question in the audience as to Elaine's culpability in the matter, and helps us to reveal the director's greater exigence as well. To best reveal this we need to look at two scenes contrasted with one another. One is a montage of scenes where Elaine recruits new members, and helps to assuage their fears of losing their money. This is contrasted with Elaine's confusion when she receives no money of her own, and her disbelief when she is arrested. Elaine clearly believes in the system. She knows that it is risky, but she thinks that it will pan out with most people. This is very different from the other individuals at her level. The other members of the scheme laugh at those who lost their money, saying "they should have signed up when we did." Additionally, Betty, the leader of the group, is very manipulative in signing Elaine up. She is portrayed as a very devious character, saying exactly what people need to hear. However, she is almost obviously distrustful and manipulative, even to the children who she assumes can't speak English. This helps to show that the director is creating two classes within the pyramid scheme system. Those who are responsible, and those who are victims who have been manipulated. He is also showing that it is not a clear cut distinction, and that even those who have hurt others can be honest victims in some ways. I believe that this exigence is tied to the catharsis seen at the end of the film where Raymond forgives his mother. The director is saying, both to his own mother personally, and to others in general, that not everyone in these schemes is evil, and that they should be forgiven.