There has been considerable discussion on why Chaplin chose City Lights as the title, since the movie doesn't seem to have much to do with lighting although it does take place in a city. Many viewers feel that "city lights" are allegorical for the types of shallow luxuries and excess that can be found under the lights of the city, e.g., the rich man's drinking, cars, and clothing, when compared to the life of the Tramp and the blind flowergirl. Others have pointed out that the story revolves around a blind girl and her quest to find light (sight). It has also been pointed out that the term "light" is technical jargon for a one-reel movie, the title essentially describing the movie as a "little story" in a big city.
