Abstract This paper offers a critique of the film "AmericanBeauty" from the perspective of the social theory of anomie, developed by Robert Merton. It looks at the different responses of the characters to a sense of alienation and isolation.
From the Paper American Beauty a film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball has been characterized as an assault on the emotional sleepwalking that all too often passes for life in the American suburb ..."
Abstract This paper discusses editing, mise en scene, pace, and illusion in AmericanBeauty, and how these elements contribute to the overall effect of the movie. The paper further discusses the characters, symbols and style of the film.
From the Paper "The purpose of this essay is to examine the elements of editing that contribute to the overall effect of the film "American Beauty". A basically mise-en-scene film, this movie showcases the talent of a director and editor who employed both formalist and realist techniques to create compelling drama about one man's movement toward death after years of futility. The illusion created is of time moving rapidly, slowing and then stopping forever for Lester Burnham, the film's protagonist. In this film Lester and Carolyn..."
Abstract The paper analyzes the Oscar-winning film AmericanBeauty (1999), which presents a complex vision of gender relations in contemporary American suburbia. Through a critical evaluation of the film with reference to scholarly work on the geography of gender, this paper demonstrates the radical degree to which AmericanBeauty visualizes feminine confinement and control, while showing pathological feminine power in suburban space. The paper further analyzes how the perception of confinement may seem unusual in a film such as AmericanBeauty whose cinematography at various points - such as the opening - emphasize the wide expanses of suburban life.
Abstract This paper discusses how both "AmericanBeauty" and "The Crucible" are texts written to emphasize flaws within the American society at different periods in history. The paper first looks at how "AmericanBeauty", which was created at the end of the 20th century when there was an increasing dissatisfaction with the American Dream, depicts Alan Ball and Sam Mendes', the composers, contemporary opinions of Western society and is an illustration of how the American Dream is often a facade for dysfunctional relationships. In comparison, the paper then examines how "The Crucible", which is set in 1692, during the unstable times of the Salem Witch trials, was written as an allegory by Arthur Miller, and demonstrates the similarities between the situation in Salem and McCarthyism in the 1950s.
From the Paper "American Beauty was produced at a time when people were beginning to realize that the American Dream is full of unfulfilled desires, repressed dreams and shattered hopes. Alan Ball and Sam Mendes highlight the flaws of this vision through characters in the text. Lester Burnham, the main protagonist of the text, is not content with his suburban life. "Look at me, jerking off in the shower -- this will be the high point of my day. It's all downhill from here." He has a respectable occupation as a magazine executive and a family he once enjoyed the company of however he feels that his he lives a meaningless existence, "in a way, I am dead already." His only daughter Jane has issues with her body image and wishes her father would take interest in her life. "I need a father who's a role model, not some horny geek-boy who's gonna spray his shorts every time I bring a girlfriend home from school." And his wife is stuck in a loveless marriage and doesn't allow her husband to touch her. "Our marriage is just for show. "
Abstract This paper discusses how "White Noise" by Don DeLillo and "AmericanBeauty" directed by Sam Mendes are excellent examples of why we no longer believe in the American Dream. It examines how they skillfully shatter the myth that surrounds it and prove that it is indeed an elusive entity, which has only left us feeling incomplete, unloved, worthless, and simply, failures, despite our apparent successes. It also looks at how the women in these works are depicted as victims of media-propagated images of beauty, happiness, satisfaction, and American life on the whole. They are victims of what they see on television and in magazines and are, thus, unable to enjoy their present lives and achievements.
From the Paper "In the White Noise by DeLillo, readers come across similar unhappy and dissatisfied characters. Babette, wife of Jack Gladney, is suffering from the same problem of dissatisfaction with life and American way of living as her counterparts in American Beauty. But she exhibits this dissatisfaction in a slightly different manner. Apart from Babette, there are several other female characters in the novel. However they are not properly developed or are too insignificant to comment upon. Steffie, the young daughter of Babette appears to be as immensely affected by media as her mother. She lives in constant fear and sympathizes with people on screen. She is also a victim of what comes on television as she ?becomes upset when something shameful or humiliating seems about to happen to someone on the screen'."
Abstract This paper explains that Alan Ball's film "AmericanBeauty" combines the elements of identifiable characters, a realistic story and a powerful ending to create a socially valuable and sometimes painful look at the typical American family. The author points out that film critics argue that this film is not an accurate representation of the average American family and that some aspects of the movie devalue the overall experience. The paper relates that Ball uses average characters to allow the audience to identify with each one, so that the film's meaning can reach deeper into every viewer, which is an important aspect to socially valuable films because the audience must be able to sink themselves into the film and come out of the theatre with a better understanding of their own culture.
From the Paper "The Fitts family is the division of American society that, except for Ricky Fitts, has the lifestyle of people in the past. Colonel Fitts is a military man whose regulated past and homophobia characterize him as the typical stubborn conservative. His wife, Barbara, is the submissive mother and spouse whose entire life revolves around the pointless tasks of housecleaning and cooking. These characters are important because they provide a wide spectrum that accurately catches even the less prominent aspects of society. The film's social value stems from the ability for the audience to identify with these true-to-life characters on-screen, allowing Ball to explore the universal experience that can be applied to anyone who views the movie."
Tags: family, average, social-value, characters, death
Abstract The paper argues that a good beginning and a brilliant ending are crucial to a successful film. It shows how this relates to Sam Mendes' contemporary satire, "AmericanBeauty" which criticizes typical American aspirations and lifestyles. The film also discusses the movie's filming techniques.
From the Paper "A good exposition has the power to draw the audience's interest into the story with elements of intrigue. A brilliant resolution gives the film a satisfactory and flawless finish. This is evident in the film "American Beauty" directed by Sam Mendes. It is proven that these two elements play a part in the success of the film. In the beginning, the audience is introduced to the plot, setting and character. First impressions are always important and this is what the film tries to achieve in its exposition to capture the audience's attention. The ending resolves the story and tries to create an impact as well as to represent issues for people to reflect on."
Abstract This paper examines the film "AmericanBeauty?, a fascinating portrayal of the American Dream gone array in a complex society, based in the 1990s. It looks at how each of the characters is depicted in a complex fashion and how their relationships are multifaceted and often strained as a result of a variety of characteristics and personal attributes. It analyzes how as a result, the film exhibits many complex issues that are left unresolved by the conclusion, including marriage, materialism, reawakening and morality.
From the Paper "The infatuation that Lester possesses for Angela represents another dimension of complexity and confusion regarding marriage and stereotypes. In the 1950s and 1960s, marriages were often perceived as the perfect union between males and females and represented a variety of characteristics, including purity, love, mutual respect and trust, and fidelity. However, as decades passed, the unity of the bond of marriage has deteriorated to a very fragile state. Marriages have become much more difficult to manage as living conditions have become more and more complex, and the many requirements involved in marriages, including children, finances, careers, living arrangements, and intimacy issues can all result in very difficult circumstances for many couples. For many individuals, these situations are difficult to endure, and consequently, one or both marriage partners become disinterested in preserving the union."
Tags:american, dream, marriage, stereotypes, society
Abstract This paper examines the film "AmericanBeauty" which offers a picture of the modern American family as a dysfunctional institution and a gender-unequal one as well. It discusses how it is one of many films in recent years suggesting that the ideal of the suburban way of life is false. It looks at the central issue of male-female relations in the film and how the two main characters are a husband and wife in a disintegrating marriage. The Burnhams barely speak to one another most of the time and when they do, they fight. It evaluates how the way the story of the Burnhams plays out says much about the state of family life in America today, about the social and sexual pressures which divide people and also about the roles of men and women in this society, both in terms of what seems to be expected of them and what they may really decide they want.
From the Paper "The family described by Crittenden fits this pattern quite well. She makes the point that without the strong tradition of keeping the family together, husband and wife will remain together only so long as they still have "the very tenuous bonds of affection and sexual attraction" (Crittenden 70), which for Lester and Carolyn are bonds that no longer hold them together. Indeed, all that binds them together is their own inertia about making a move to change their situation. Each is looking elsewhere for what the marriage once gave them. Lester at the beginning of the film still holds the traditional role as breadwinner, but he abandons this when he is fired. He does get another job at a fast-food restaurant, but his wife has been pursuing a career in real estate at the same time, showing that she wants to assume the role of breadwinner and may soon not need Lester at all."
Abstract An examination of the wealth of symbolism in the movie "AmericanBeauty." The writer shows that one of the main motifs of film is the exposure of the American dream for what it truly is--a pursuit of happiness through material objects. It examines the various characters and how they represent and symbolize this false dream, as exposed through the life and transformation of the main character, Lester Burnham.
From the Paper "Winner of 5 Academy Awards, American Beauty captivated audiences with its stunning screenplay and cinematography and its stellar acting. Sam Mendes executed Alan Ball's script with flair, and the film is accompanied by an indispensable score that accentuates its darkly humorous mood. The title of Sam Mendes? 1999 film American Beauty seems slightly ambiguous, as it refers to a multitude of meanings and symbols in the picture. However, the theme of beauty, and specifically American beauty, emerges through all of the main characters in the movie. The American Beauty could be the sultry teen Angela, the epitome of blonde American sex appeal. Carolyn's obsessive tending her rose garden is a pervasive and double-sided symbol of beauty, as her flowers are a thin cover for the ugliness in her life. Perhaps the greatest messenger of beauty in the film is Ricky Fitts, the eccentric pot-smoking teenager who through his camera lens perceives beauty everywhere he looks, so much beauty that he feels his ?heart is going to cave in.? Regardless, beauty is found everywhere in this film and is portrayed by various characters, symbols, and scenes."
Abstract This paper discusses Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, explaining his belief that human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs and that certain lower needs must be satisfied before higher needs can be satisfied. The paper reviews Sam Mendes's movie, "AmericanBeauty", describing it as a microscopic vignette of the American, white middle-class. The paper employs Maslow's theory of a hierarchy of needs to understand the underlying emotions of the film.
From the Paper "Abraham Maslow established the theory of a hierarchy of needs, believing that human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs, and that certain lower needs must be satisfied before higher needs can be satisfied (Maslow's pp). Rather than studying the neurotic or mentally ill, Maslow studied exemplary people such as Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglas to determine how they came to be successful (Maslow's pp). Unlike Skinner and Freud, he believed that people are "basically trustworthy, self-protecting, and self-governing"and that humans tend toward growth and love? (Maslow's pp).
Maslow felt that although there is a continuous cycle of negativity, such as wars, murder, and deceit, he believed that violence is not what human nature is meant to be like, and occurs only because of and when human needs are thwarted (Maslow's pp)."
Abstract A discussion of interpersonal conflict, including pseudo conflict, simple conflict, and ego conflict, using the film "AmericanBeauty" as an example.
From the Paper "Conflict is a part of life. Conflict with family, friends, spouses, or even within one's self. Interpersonal conflict is "a struggle that occurs when two people can not agree on a way to meet their needs" (Beebe, Beebe & Redmond, 1999, p.248). Not only is conflict very prevalent in today's society, but it also has the capability of being extremely destructive to many important relationships in life. Sometimes when people fight, they say things that they can never take back, and that relationship may never recover. The damage has been done, and no matter what they say or do to make things better, the pain still persists. "Conflict exists whenever incompatible activities occur" (Hocker &Wilmot, 1995, p. 20). There are many types of conflict, including pseudo conflict, simple conflict, and ego conflict, and these conflicts are illustrated very clearly in the movie American Beauty."
Abstract A discussion of interpersonal communication based on the movie ?AmericanBeauty.? The objective being to identify ways that interpersonal communication theory is understood within the context of the film. Application of three theories from Steven Beebe's "Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others" are explored: assertiveness, emphatic listening and responding skills, and emotional contagion theory.
From the Paper ""American Beauty" is the story of American suburbia, the lives behind closed doors. Lester Burnham is a middle-aged man facing a middle-aged crisis in a middle-class neighborhood. He sums up his life in the beginning of the movie when he says, "In less than a year I"ll be dead. . . in a way I"m dead already" (American 1999). His wife, Caroline, is a struggling real estate agent obsessed with success and status. His daughter, Jane, comes across as the typical teenager, filled with anger, resentment, and embarrassment for her parents. The story's theme is Lester's transformation from passiveness to assertiveness (Beebe 270-271)."
Abstract This paper examines the film "AmericanBeauty", about problems in interpersonal communication among several characters and how the husband and wife in the film in particular suffer because of their failure to communicate effectively with one another. The paper also shows many of the pressures on the family that exist today and the ways in which those pressures increase problems in interpersonal communication. It discusses how the application of social psychology in this situation could be used to identify the sources of cognitive dissonance and to develop ways of bringing the nature of this dissonance to the awareness of the couple so they could alter their behavior, shift their expectations and find ways to accommodate one another through better communication.
From the Paper "The primary problem for both husband and wife is that they have discovered that there is a significant gap between the expectations society has given them in their socialization process and the reality encountered in life. Both husband and wife experience a form of cognitive dissonance, which occurs when our behavior or situation does not reflect our beliefs, causing us to experience dissonance, or a conflict between our intellect and our actions. Both husband and wife have lived with certain expectations,a nd both find that the life they are living does not meet these expectations. This is not surprising. We receive messages from our surroundings all the time which may challenge our assumptions, our beliefs, or our behaviors, and we may continue behaviors which counter these messages even if we believe the message as well."
Tags: husband, wife, daughter, family, relationship, society, communication
Abstract This paper examines the film, "AmericanBeauty", directed by Sam Mendes. It looks at one of the Oedipal structures in the film and considers why this particular relationship holds such fascination to the viewers. The relationship studied is that of the Fitts family. The father, a career Marine, rules the family with a strict hand, but he is unable to control the fact that his discipline has turned his wife into a nearly catatonic figure and his son into an extremely successful drug dealer and voyeur. The paper shows that by the film's end, the son has rebelled against the father and managed to destroy him, in a remarkable completion of the Oedipus myth, as reinterpreted by Freud.
From the Paper "The classic aspects of the situation are part of their attraction for audience members. The struggle between father and son is one that always favors the triumph of the younger, newer generation; this triumph remains dramatically satisfying. The scene in which Ricky finally (and literally) rises above his father, vanquishes him, and strikes out on his own, is tremendously rich as a cinematic set piece because it adheres to the outlines of the myth so effectively. The entire relationship is fascinating also because of the power of two exquisitely fine actors in the role of father and son. Cooper endows Colonel Fitts with a taut militarism that is both hateful and comprehensible at the same time. When he appears in one of his last scenes, broken, tortured, and soaking wet, he is heartbreakingly wonderful to watch. Though the events that have led him to this moment make the character deserving of every second of torment, he is also deeply sympathetic because of his flaws."
