American Beauty has a well-balanced dichotomy between the real and
fantastic. The viewer is able to see the reality in the suburban life portrayed
in American Beauty. The reality of
the Burnham family, however, is enclosed within the exaggerated perfection of
their home. The red, white, and blue of the house signify that a perfect home
and family are part of the universal “American Dream.” The Burnham’s is the
only red, white, and blue house on the street, because they are the only family
on the street that portray what the “perfect” American family looks like from
the outside. The outside of the home can be considered fantastic, while the
events that take place within the home can be viewed as a version of reality. It
is this reality that occurs for each character within the home that dismantles
the façade of the “perfect” family and home that we, as viewers, are introduced
to from the inside. We, as viewers, know that we will be seeing the truth of
the family because the first shots we see of the home are from the interior,
and then the camera slowly navigates to a view of the exterior through an
interior window. The viewer is put into the point of view of the inside, rather
than a voyeur of the false outside.
This intimate look into the lives of the characters
even includes a glimpse of Lester’s personal fantasies. These fantasies take
away from the verisimilitude of the film. Lester’s fantasies of Angela are
created in such a way that the viewer can quickly identify that they are
fantasy, rather than reality. Angela’s body is always covered in, or emitting,
red rose petals. These images of Angela are Lester’s “American Dream.” Angela
is something that Lester sees, and quickly lusts after. Lester sees her as
beautiful, and is concerned only with her outer beauty. He works hard to “attain”
her admiration, by running and lifting weights to make himself more appealing
physically. However, once Lester gets the opportunity to be with her, or attain
his dream, Angela reveals that she is still a virgin, and the dream is over for
Lester. This dream and pursuit of Angela, mirrors the “American Dream” of the
perfect house and family. Once attained, it is no longer a dream, but instead
becomes a reality.
The repeated use of the image of the
red rose, not only adds continuity to the film, but it aids in the narrative as
well. The roses are all over the Burnham’s home. Outside, the roses grow all
over the perimeter of the yard and adorn the outside of the house. Inside, the
roses are obviously cut and in vases to adorn the inside. By bringing the roses
inside, Carolyn is attempting to bring the beauty of the dream, or the façade,
into the interior. However, the roses inside are cut, and are destined to die. While
the red roses symbolize beauty, these fully open roses also reveal decay as
well.
These aspects of reality and fantasy are well-balanced throughout the
film, and greatly aid in the film’s overall narrative.
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