American Beauty Character Analysis Everyone knows the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But is this necessarily always true? Apparently not to Kevin Spacey as he played the role of Lester Burnham in the 1999 film American Beauty. His rule was "When you’ve got nothing to lose‚ you might as well risk everything". Lester Burnham and his wife‚ Carolyn‚ portray a perfect lifestyle to the naked eye. Everyone sees Lester as a man with a perfect high-paying job and a perfect
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Harrison Saito Professor Hollingsworth English 1C 13 December 2010 American Beauty Ever since civilization began‚ trends have socialized groups on how to dress‚ think‚ and act; it becomes an absolute necessity to support whatever is in vogue or risk ostracization. Modern businesses create advertising in American media by following these cultural trends. Whether it is through periodicals‚ radio‚ or the all powerful television these companies use effective methods to psychologically convince
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In the film‚ American Beauty‚ Allan Ball (screenwriter) explores a number of themes relating to the concepts of identity. One of these themes is adopting superficial appearances to try and “fit in” with reality. Appearances can be deceiving‚ that is why one’s identity can be difficult to comprehend. American Beauty conveys images and ideas of adopting a superficial identity to their perception of reality. Carolyn is a real estate agent who believes that the most important aspect in life is
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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
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No relationship is ever completely the same as another‚ and every couple is different‚ yet they all use the same word to describe their feelings: love. A more specific example is the relationship between Lester and Carolyn Burnham in the film American Beauty. Lester and Carolyn possessed negative qualities that led to several conflicts with each other and‚ eventually‚ overshadowed the positive aspects that kept their love alive. A relationship is between two people‚ each with their own characteristics
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American Beauty tells the story of one man’s search for happiness. The film introduces the audience to Lester Burnham‚ an ordinary- looking married man and father in his forties. Lester is in a loveless marriage. Lester’s wife‚ Carolyn‚ is so wrapped-up in her real estate career that Lester often claims that Carolyn doesn’t even acknowledge him. Furthermore‚ Lester’s daughter‚ Jane‚ is completely distant‚ often claiming how "pathetic" she thinks her father is. Moreover‚ Lester has dedicated fourteen
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Final Essay Diva Denissov American Beauty is a classic example of a family in deep seated conflict and conflict management. The four horsemen are employed here regularly by the main character of Kevin Spacey who plays the role of Lester Burnham‚ a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis and a badgered and repressed husband who is absolutely contemptuous of his wife Caroline Burnham who is played by Annette Benning. Caroline is likewise contemptuous of Lester and his laizze faire way of negotiating
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19 September 2012 Professor Joyce English 099 American Beauty Beauties are qualities that bring pleasure or satisfaction to a person or an animal. People have their own opinions on how they define beauty. True beauty is not about physical appearance but also the goals and morals they have in life. With the combination of having problems in people’s lives it is hard to find their inner beauty. While watching the movie American Beauty by Alan Ball it describes problems that people face
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characterization and themes are sympathized through it. Both films The Graduate‚ by Mike Nichols and American Beauty‚ by Sam Mendes‚ emphasize the duality of human nature‚ the American Dream as well as social issues presented in society which both are also considered satires. The use of theme‚ characterization and irony are conveyed through The Graduate and American Beauty. Both Human Nature and the American Dream can be illustrated on both films. Since the beginning of both films‚ materialism takes absolutely
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Steinbeck’s novel of ‘Of Mice and Men’ and Sam Mendes’ ‘American Beauty’ each explore the American dream‚ an ideal of a happy and successful life to which all may aspire and achieve. Both texts place their own contextual perspective upon its ideals and the settings are the main distinguishing points between the texts‚ from the Californian Dust Bowl in the 1930s to the globalised commercial 21st century. ‘Of Mice and Men’ suggests that the American Dream is to attain private land ownership‚ so as to belong
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