American Beauty, via its use of symbols and the title of the movie itself makes us look at the characters and their philosophies (American dream, their ideas of success, magnificence, and many others.) each as they’re and as they’re perceived. Nobody within the film is definitely as they appear. In the long run the creepiest (Ricky) is the nicest, the profitable spouse is an unstable wreck, and the American magnificence is quite plain.
The pink rose pedals, which seem a number of instances all through American Beauty are an emblem for love, sensuality, and vitality. Nonetheless it is very important word that all through many of the film the pink roses are implicitly an phantasm. The pink roses within the context of an phantasm come to face for a sugar coated actuality.
By sugar coating I imply that which covers up the pure stimulation (style, sight, contact) by “sweetening” it. In all however one of many scenes, the pink peddles are round Angela masking her bare physique in a means which makes what ever lays beneath, that rather more attractive, via using sensual reds and the sexiness of thriller. To not point out excessive spectacles which regularly accompany Lester’s dream scenes.
Nonetheless within the scene the place Lester lastly will get what he has been wishing for Angela has no pink peddles round her. Not like her breasts within the first scene which had been lined up with vibrant pedals, this scene exposes her physique for what it’s, we like Lester begin to really feel like Angela might not have been all she was cracked as much as be. It’s not that Angela is not stunning, it’s that nobody might reside as much as the god like expectations that Lester’s wild fantasies created.
After Lester finds out that Angela is a virgin and under no circumstances what he thought she was he goes out to the kitchen and picks up an image of his household. As Lester seems to be at a photograph of his household saying “man oh man…” a bucay of pink roses(precise to these proven earlier) are proven for about 5 seconds. These roses not like all proven beforehand are actual, not a dream. Additionally not like the roses proven earlier they’re related along with his household and never Angela. On this context the roses don’t signify sugar coating however actual love, sensuality, and vitality. Seconds latter we see a puddle of pink blood. Shortly after we expertise, by video montage which is Lester’s life flashing earlier than his eyes, the love, sensuality, and vitality which the image represented.
The theme of issues not being what they appear is just not remoted to Lester’s view of Angela. A number of instances all through the film Carolyn says You need to undertaking success always to finally develop into profitable. Lester additionally feedback to Ricky’s Dad that his marriage”…is only for present”.
Lots of the characters appear to obsess over how individuals understand them however present little take care of the fact of issues. Ricky’s Dad who hates homosexuality, and lets or not it’s recognized a number of instances all through the film, ultimately seems to be excited by males sexually. Carolyn and Buddy are obsessive about seeming “profitable” and having others assume they’re a part of a “regular” household, it’s the battle to look this manner for each of them which makes them emotionally unstable, and tears them other than their households.
American Beauty via its distinction of actuality and perceived actuality makes us look at what American magnificence is, the American Dream, and the way actual the guarantees these narratives provide actually are.
