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Essay / Analysis by Lester Burnham in The Film American Beauty
Many people come in many different shapes, forms, and styles. Every person has a mental habit that can have a huge impact on their life, which is when people can stay silent and feel sad and miserable. While others are willing to bring themselves joy and freedom and not continue to tolerate their pain. Lester Burnham from Alan Ball's American Beauty is a good example of how people can change their lives, get something out of it, and be happy with themselves instead of being gloomy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The audience is introduced to Lester Burnham, who went from dying to turning his life around in a complete turnaround. The film opens with the family in the Burnham house, then the audience can see Lester how he wakes up with a disappointing face and having no desire to be awake. He even tells his audience: “I already feel empty and dead. » The film even features his pajamas which look like vertical stripes like the ones people wear in prison. As the film continues, the audience approaches Lester's wife Carolyn, pestering him about being late for work and giving him a suffocating look. to him. At this point, the audience can tell that Carolyn is taking charge of their relationship. People can even feel coldness towards Lester while he also has no respect from his daughter Jane. He was a defeated person and there was nothing he could do about it. Even in his family, he couldn't take charge. But soon after, Lester saw someone who changed his life. According to the movie, Lester's daughter Jane was on the cheerleading squad. So, Lester took her to school and stayed for her performance. Instead, watching her clap, there was someone who caught her attention, it was Jane's friend Angela. While Lester is distracted by seeing Angela, he begins to fantasize that "she dances for me" and comes up with crazy ideas. This scenario in which the audience begins to see how Lester seems unpredictable and won't be able to know what he will do next but confronts the audience by explaining "I feel like I've been in a coma for like twenty years, and I've just woken up." As his fantasy continues, he now sets a goal: to go out with Angela and change his life. As the film continues, Lester becomes very unpredictable with each event. The audience can tell when he convinces himself to make a change in order to pursue Angela, while talking to himself and looking in a mirror. One thing he heard was when Anglea said he. would date Lester if he was in shape so he starts working out in his garage to get muscular and so Angela will find his new physique attractive Although there was one thing that was really ironic. that Lester did not rebel to take his rightful place in the house. Instead, Lester lets his wife control everything in the house. The unexpected thing he did was eventually quit his corporate job, but before he did. He receives $60,000 from his job through blackmail and ends up buying his dream car. These are rules that no hero would break to get things done or get things the easy way. He also begins smoking marijuana, reminiscing, and putting his life back together. Although there is a plot twist where he becomes aggressive in the film, the audience saw how he insulted his wife "You bloodless, money-hungry monster". Instead of taking a negative approach, she took it.