Abstract An examination of the wealth of symbolism in the movie "American Beauty." 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."
A comparison of the choices made by the protagonist, Claudia MacTeer, in Toni Morrison's novel "The Bluest Eye" and the protagonist, Lester Burnham, in Sam Mendes' film "American Beauty".
Abstract The paper examines the decision of Claudia MacTeer from "The Bluest Eye" to become a better person after she recognized her part in destroying another human being's life. The paper contrasts this choice to that of Lester Burnham who is dissatisfied with life and slips into apathy. The paper emphasizes how Claudia represents how we can derive something good out of a negative experience or a bad choice while Lester shows how one can simply give up and live a worthless life.
From the Paper "Toni Morrison maintains that a life of worth is something for which we must work, noting that a life of worth is filled with intricate, interesting work. She suggests that a life of worth is up to the individual and every choice along the way takes one in a positive or negative direction. Two characters that illustrate opposite extremes of this gamut are Claudia MacTeer from Toni Morrison's novel, The Bluest Eye, and Lester Burnham in the film, American Beauty. Both characters experience challenges and both face crossroads but they handle them differently and we discover that how challenges are handled makes more difference than the challenges themselves."
Abstract This paper examines the film "American Beauty" 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 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, "American Beauty" 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 The paper shows the relationship between corporations and the general public has always been somewhat of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, individuals purchase goods and services from corporations and invest in stock in hopes of reaping financial benefits as well as stimulating economic growth. By contrast, corporations employ individuals and must also please Wall Street analysts as well as meet their own financial expectations. The paper discusses how over the past two decades, numerous high-profile corporate scandals have occurred that have weakened the public's trust in corporations, beginning with the savings and loan scandals of the 1980 involving Charles Keating, and the insider trading and leveraged buyout scandals of the late 1980s involving Drexel Burnham and Michael Milken. During the 1990s, it seemed as if corporations could do no wrong, minting tens of thousands of millionaires (employees, executives, investors) while reporting unprecedented profits. The paper explains however, that as the accounting scandals and ensuring bankruptcies of Enron, Global Crossing, WorldCom and numerous other high-profile corporations indicate, there was much deception and smoke and mirrors behind their seemingly invincible exterior.
Part II of the paper discusses the reasons for Enron's downfall in light of the auditing business. In Part III, Enron's law firms? role in the collapse is outlined. Part IV reviews Enron's lack of 401(k) diversification. Part V outlines proposals for restoring corporate integrity. Lastly, this paper concludes with proposals for restoring integrity within the American business arena.
From the Paper "As Enron's chief outside counsel, Vinson & Elkins billed Enron for $36 million last year, about 7% of the law firm's revenue. (Mason). In addition to testifying before House lawmakers, Vinson & Elkins has been subpoenaed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which also is investigating Enron. (Mason). Lawmakers in both House and Senate committees have criticized as inadequate the firm's review of allegations Watkins raised last year. (Mason). Vinson & Elkins was tapped by Derrick, former Enron general counsel, and former Chairman Ken Lay, to conduct a limited investigation of Watkins? allegations of questionable accounting and conflicts of interest in Enron financial practices. (Mason). Watkins maintained that because Vinson & Elkins had worked on some of the company's problematic off-the-books partnerships, another firm should investigate the practice. (Mason)."
Abstract Apart from possessing a functional and ornamental value, architecture also tells the story about the character and the culture of a society, thus reflecting the spirit of the people and the age. The paper shows that the architecture that is most representative of a society consists of ordinary and drab buildings. Although they cannot be considered esthetically pleasing to the eye, their value rests in their reflection of the reality of the ordinary people. The paper evaluates several buildings and cities such as Ancient Greek cities, the Great Mosque of Kairawan and the city of Chicago. It shows the important role architecture plays in every society, not only because it reflects the society of its time, but also because it has the power to influence the people.
From the Paper "As a part of the City Beautiful Movement started to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus? discovery of America, Chicago was transformed by Daniel Burnham who was appointed director of the project. The transformation included the creation of a lakefront park system, an inner harbor and a civic center. According to Burnham, the redevelopment of the city served an important purpose in creating uniformity and order against the chaotic development of a city affected by massive immigration of people with different cultures. Thus, to him, the orderly city would reinforce an American order over the diversity of cultures (Kostof 671). However, in this case, the City Beautiful Movement failed because it was more concerned with the aesthetic ideal than the lives of the people in the city. The City Beautiful Movement limited itself to changing public facilities, but did not seek to improve the housing needs of the poor. Therefore, it produced architecture that was divorced from the actual reality of the ordinary people it sought to represent."
Abstract Discusses the series of crises experienced by the Burnham family. Discusses three psychological concepts and relates them to the central characters of the film. Examines depression and the husband and the passive-aggressive personality.
From the Paper "Critic Gary Hentzi (2000) suggested that the film, American Beauty, encompasses an explication of the emotional sleepwalking that passes for life in the typical middle-class and upper-middle class American ..."
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, "American Beauty", 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 The paper explains the aspirations behind the development of the Monadnock building and the design of the architects Burnham and Root and later, Holabird and Roche. The paper also looks at later design assessments of the north and south parts of the Monadnock building. The paper relates that, today, most architectural historians believe that it is the north half that has no equal in high office buildings.
Outline:
Period
Precedent
Later Citations
Lasting Influences
From the Paper "The aspirations that brought the building into being were artistic as well as commercial--to create an architectural spectacle and also draw tenants and make revenue for the Boston-based developers brothers Peter and Shepard Brooks. The Monadnock's period and design locate it at the tail end of 19th century architectural grandeur, because of its impressive size and its elaborately crafted south half. But its older northern half, with its subtly curving lines and faint traces of Egyptian architecture act as a harbinger of the later modernist period and the Frank Lloyd Wright Chicago School. The lack of breaks and projections and utter continuity of line makes this part of the building look much younger than its construction date (Roth 176)."
