Themes In American Beauty example essay topic
398 words
There are many themes in American Beauty, but one of the most important theme, is about appearances versus reality. Many of the characters in American Beauty project a false image of themselves and as a result, are not living a true life. The Burnham's have everything! They have a nice home, good jobs, they have children, and one could even say that they have the "American Dream!" But it's not all as great as it sounds... From the outside they appear like a happy family, but on the inside they are actually breaking up. American Beauty is about projecting false images. Carolyn, Buddy and Angela are all obsessed with their appearances and go to great lengths to accomplish what they want. Carolyn is a "Control freak" and when she does her gardening she even has matching clogs and secateurs. Even during an evening party she tries to make good impressions, and tells Lester to behave. Angela on the other hand, is a "slut". She is thin, blonde and sexy, and is just like a typical American Teenager. During the film she keeps b raging on about how many guys she slept with and always seems like she's so confident and open.
The ironic thing is that, in reality, she has low self esteem and is actually a virgin. Buddy, being a real estate person, cares only about appearing to be successful, and he states to Carolyn, "For one to be successful, one must project an image of success". When we first see Buddy in the posters, we see how artificial he is. He has artificial hair and bushy eyebrows and even his personality seems artificial. All Buddy cares about is his image, and when Lester finds out about their secret relationship, he breaks up with Carolyn. In conclusion, I believe that the main theme of American Beauty is "Appearance versus reality", because the whole film seems to revolve around this theme and because most of the characters seem to project false images of themselves.
American Beauty is a must see, and the themes in the story are worth taking a look at. I would recommend people above the age of 18 because some scenes in the film may disturb some people. Film, "American Beauty" directed by Mendes, Sam.
