Identity In American Beauty

Throughout a person’s life, they are exposed to many different people and objects that represent the current socially acceptable practices in, and they are forced to decide whether their path in life conforms to or opposes these common normative pathways. In the film, American Beauty (dir. Mendes, 1999), the audience listens to Lester, played by Kevin Spacey, as he prepares the viewers for what is to come while introducing them to the character the story is centered around, but in this narration, the ending to the movie is already spoiled. Going to the cinema is an adventure, individuals see plot arcs adjusted to represent a director’s vision and for films that provoke the interest it’s usual for the viewers to be on the edge of their seat

Lester represents the values society has staked on sex and beauty, specifically how many people are conditioned to find younger women more attractive than older women to the point no one is surprised to find a wife twenty years her husband’s junior. Carolyn represents the working class and economic American Dream where a person is supposed to work their fingers to the bone until they find success, and then they can finally be pleased with their life. Jane represents the younger generations as she struggles to find her identity and place in life while facing opposition and doubts from both internal and external sources. Through these aspects, they romanticize what life should be to a fault as remarked on by the continuous appearance of roses and rose petals in the film remarking on how specifically Lester and Carolyn can only bring themselves to see the world through rose colored glasses. The world is not black and white, it’s a mixture of confusing colors constantly battling to be in the foreground of perception, and without these colors an individual is left only with extremes of obsession and repulsion. Mendes touches on this point with the character of Colonel Fitts, Ricky’s father, as he refuses not only himself but a whole community by convincing himself and his son that being gay is evil and should be loathed. If Fitts had only accepted

Mendes demonstrates through the life of Lester the fine line there is between letting life pass you by and speeding towards a path of self-destruction, as Lester quits his job, starts smoking weed, and attempts to seduce his daughter’s best friend. However, Mendes also counteracts this by Jane’s decision at the end of the movie to leave with Ricky, as, even though the choice could be categorized as somewhat impulsive, the audience supports it because of the toxicity that has filled her home and the fact Jane does have significant funds that would allow Ricky and her to set up their new lives comfortably. No one is perfect, no one is ever going to be able to live up to every dream or expectation others have of them, and assuming they are will only lead to pain and disappointment. There is no question why the film American Beauty remains as celebrated a movie as when it was first released, the impeccable cinematography and fluidity pull the audience in, while the writing and performance make an almost tangible connection to the everyday person, because most people have had their own “American Beauty” whether it be an idea, value, or person and through this narration it gives each individual a chance to reevaluate and reach a healthier way of striving towards a goal without rose colored glasses altering their