American Beauty - Summary and Analysis
Georgio Russell
Philosophy
Mr. Rulli “American Beauty”
Summary and Analysis
The movie “American Beauty” is littered with instances of self-surveillance, self-transparency and the un-fulfillment associated with it. It also alludes to how the paradox of maximum happiness can be lethal. These utilitarian views and themes are displayed ingenuously by the director through various characters within the film. It is also conveyed how the characters think ‘of’, ‘for’ and ‘as’ others. These three traits of utility describe the way in which people transform, perform and conform to fit the script that others have laid out for them. Some of the characters within the flick are befuddled as to who they really are because they play roles in everybody else’s’ perception of them. This leads to intense disappointment as well as exposure. Self-transparency is based on the idea of watching others watch you. An example of this is shown in this movie within a movie through Jane Burnham; a corky teenager with had her mind set up on having a breast augmentation done on her. She also had stated that she did not want to be filmed by Ricky Fitz, a new neighbor. However, when she realizes that he likes her breasts, she became open to him filming her. Shown in the scene where she takes of her bra, there is evidence of self-transparency and Jane is then thinking ‘for’ Ricky by conforming to his desires to maximize happiness. She watches him watch her and is realizing that she is doing so. Ricky Fitz returns this mode of self-transparency when he is naked and watching himself being filmed by Jane, sharing his intimate secrets and thoughts. Self-surveillance on the other hand, can be a way of thinking ‘as’ others. Carolyn Burnham, Jane’s mother and a real estate agent, is fed up with herself when she could not make a sale. She begins to slap herself incessantly and utter words of motivation to herself. She watches herself and bases her decision as if she was someone else watching her and
Philosophy
Mr. Rulli “American Beauty”
Summary and Analysis
The movie “American Beauty” is littered with instances of self-surveillance, self-transparency and the un-fulfillment associated with it. It also alludes to how the paradox of maximum happiness can be lethal. These utilitarian views and themes are displayed ingenuously by the director through various characters within the film. It is also conveyed how the characters think ‘of’, ‘for’ and ‘as’ others. These three traits of utility describe the way in which people transform, perform and conform to fit the script that others have laid out for them. Some of the characters within the flick are befuddled as to who they really are because they play roles in everybody else’s’ perception of them. This leads to intense disappointment as well as exposure. Self-transparency is based on the idea of watching others watch you. An example of this is shown in this movie within a movie through Jane Burnham; a corky teenager with had her mind set up on having a breast augmentation done on her. She also had stated that she did not want to be filmed by Ricky Fitz, a new neighbor. However, when she realizes that he likes her breasts, she became open to him filming her. Shown in the scene where she takes of her bra, there is evidence of self-transparency and Jane is then thinking ‘for’ Ricky by conforming to his desires to maximize happiness. She watches him watch her and is realizing that she is doing so. Ricky Fitz returns this mode of self-transparency when he is naked and watching himself being filmed by Jane, sharing his intimate secrets and thoughts. Self-surveillance on the other hand, can be a way of thinking ‘as’ others. Carolyn Burnham, Jane’s mother and a real estate agent, is fed up with herself when she could not make a sale. She begins to slap herself incessantly and utter words of motivation to herself. She watches herself and bases her decision as if she was someone else watching her and