American Beauty, first 40 pages
Select any scene or sequence in the first 40 pages and write a paragraph commentary on it. You can discuss what the action is, what the context is, what the characters are experiencing and how it feels like part of a theme.
Andrei Dobrescu
ReplyDeleteThe most memorable scene so far, is on page 44-47 where Lester buys marijuana from Ricky. Lester talks about how his life used to be when he was Ricky's age. And it turns out that he also smoked back then but he worked a job for money. This scene makes perfect sense for Lester's crisis. He wants things to be like back in the day so he starts smoking and working out and trying to impress a young, attractive girl.
Jason Bang
ReplyDeleteI thought the scene where Lester stood his ground was not only an almost surprising act but it also provided the reader with more insight on the Burnham family dilemma. At page forty two, we see that Carolyn has stifled Lester’s happy time and his attempt to make things less awkward. They begin to argue and blame each other about how their relationship is not a marriage and Lester tells Carolyn how their marriage has been invalid for several years. It can be concluded that their marriage has been rough for about three years as noted from page eleven by a family photograph when the narrator tells the reader they appeared to be a happy family once. Lester then tells Carolyn how Carolyn was happy as long as he kept his mouth shut and how he’s even supported her get her real estate license. He smiles in content about how correct he was about the situation and even mischievously asks Carolyn to turn off the lights when she comes to bed. Despite this small victory he can rightfully celebrate on his own, it is clear that he no longer is intimate with his wife nor his daughter. Their daughter Jane hates them both which doesn’t help the family relationship. An example of departed intimacy lies on page ten when Lester leaves the dinner table to apologize to Jane about some guilt. It’s awkward enough for them both because it is apparent that Lester has not been available as a fatherly figure in Jane’s most recent years although they once had been close enough to call each other “pals”. It even states on the very first page how Jane wished her father could be more of a role model instead of some horny creep. It could be possible that whatever happened between Carolyn and Lester directly affected Jane. If Lester kept his mouth shut to keep Carolyn happy, he probably had lost touch with Jane as well and kept himself busy by working. Carolyn also probably had some sort of priority mishap where she wanted to be very successful in life, meeting highly ranked real estate kings, and eventually felt that Lester was left over scum of the earth. The sad and pathetic apology Lester attempts to give to Jane is vanquished and Lester is again in his depressed and isolated usual state. Interestingly enough, he quotes on page five “I have lost something. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but I know I didn’t always feel this… sedated. But you know what? It’s never too late to get it back.” Despite many discouraging events that have sundered through him in the past several years, he still has a dim light of hope which makes Lester more open to curiosity, making him overall more interesting and makes the reader ask questions such as why he would continue on with his miserable life and what is making him continue on?
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ReplyDeleteTovah Goldfarb
ReplyDeleteThe first 40 pages of American Beauty focuses heavily on the symbolism of a red rose that is used to portray youth and beauty. When Lester's wife Carolyn is first introduced to the reader, she is shown clipping a red rose off a bush in her garden. This symbolizes the youth that is gone from her life and the bitterness she holds towards her husband. Additionally, she is no longer sexually interested in Lester clipping his love life and youthful energy as well. Juxtaposed to this lies the rose petals that surround the teenage beauty Angela when Lester fantasizes about her. In one scene she is shown in a bathtub, her body concealed by rose petals, sensually inviting Lester to join her. The rose is one of the most delicate and romantic flowers clearly symbolizing the romantic desire Lester feels towards her. He desperately wants to get in touch with his youth and be intimate with a woman again.
Megan Gray
ReplyDeleteThe scene where Lester meets Ricky is a significant one because it helps Lester wake up from the coma-like state he says he has been in. Talking to Ricky helps him realize that he doesn't like what his life has become, and that he isn't really sure when his life even turned in this direction. Ricky quits his job simply because his boss ticked him off and he saw no reason not to. This is a prime example of how Ricky sums up everything that Lester wants with his life.
Michael Ambrosino
ReplyDeleteI feel that Lester's main conflict is that he is aging and he feels his life is flashing past him. His daughter Jane has a very attractive friend named Angela. The first time that Lester is introduced to Angela we see that Lester acts as if he were a teenager meeting a girl that he was very attracted to. As the reader we initially find this odd. It then progresses to Lester having sexual fantasies of Angela. Eventually we find that he masturbates to these fantasies. This really shows us how bad the relationship between him and his wife is. It raises questions as to how far will lester go until he is sexually satisfied?
I feel that the most compelling part of American Beauty is the title of the work itself juxtaposed with the actual storyline. The works' title is an obvious irony that highlights the main theme of the screenplay - nothing is what it first appears to be. This theme reoccurs with nearly every character we encounter, and is perhaps most prominent in Lester. Lester is introduced to as a 42 year old man who is stuck at a dead-end job with no ambition in his life. As the storyline progresses and Lester meets Angela, he describes himself as having "been in a coma for about 20 years, and [is] just now waking up." As the story continues to progress, we learn more about Lester and we see that this Lester is an entirely different man from the one we were first introduced to. Conversely, the title suggests that the is one standard of beauty that all things are held to, and that there isn't any variation of that. It also implies that there is only one type of beauty, and there is nothing beautiful in the mundane, ordinary aspects of life. This point of view is expressed in the story through Angela who feels that "there's nothing worse in life than being ordinary." Angela, who strives to be the lusted after and admired, can't imagine to look for beauty in ordinary things. The title alone speaks of innate conformity and a lack of personal perspective, but when taken into account with the entire story, it says something entirely different. It's telling the reader to look for the magnificence in the most ordinary places. This mindset is portrayed through the character Ricky, the young filmmaker who has the ability to see the beauty in life that the other characters can't.
ReplyDeleteCasey Sullivan
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting scene far would have to be when Lester finally stands up to his wife, Carolyn, and tells her off. He finally reveals to everyone his insecurities and how he really feels. Lester is a very depressed and frustrated man, both professionally and sexually. he has a dead end job, which is going no where, and he hasn't had sex with his wife in a while. So he, like many men his age, are starting to go though a mid life crisis of sorts. He starts having fantasies about young beautiful woman and starts to smoke marijuana. He is trying to get back to a time in his life where things were better, or just trying to make his own life better.
James Pastoressa
ReplyDeleteThe first forty pages of American beauty were very intriguing. What caught most of my attention was the relationship between Ricky and his father, the Colonel. Ricky seems to be this rebellious figure in the book, who smokes weed and also sells it. While the Colonel seems like a tough father, being that he was a veteran and knows his son isn’t the same person he was or who he wants him to be. He knows his son does drugs or is aware, as to why he drugs test him every six months. However their relationship is not very father-son like. They don’t seem to get along that well, or have a good communication level. For example when Ricky comes home from school one day, his parents are watching TV and he sits down next to them. The whole time they just sit together in silence. Later on in the book, I predict that this relationship between Ricky and his father will lead to something bad happening in the story. Possibly a death, or maybe just leading to Ricky running away.
Katherine Nimphius
ReplyDeleteThroughout the first forty pages of American Beauty, the most interesting parts had to be the parts where Lester basically zones out and imagines his daughter's friend, Angela, seducing him. This is showing Lester's overwhelming desires for Angela, but it raises the question if these are just thoughts. Will Lester go further with these thoughts and put them into action? The arguments of what is ethical and what is not play a role in these scenes. Of course a man should never have sexual thoughts of his daughter's friend, but if they're just thoughts, then is Lester in the wrong?
After reading the first 40 pages of American beauty, i have to admit that i was impressed in how much i actually enjoyed the play. The protagonist of the play, Lester is extremely funny during his character change from a quiet guy that was letting life pass him buy to a new man that is trying to new things and expressing his opinion. Lester used to not voice his opinion ad would just keep to him self, go to work and continue to have an awful relationship with his daughter and wife. The new Lester is smoking weed, calling out his boss about using company money to have prostitutes and is even taking a stand and not putting up with his wife. He begins to tell her off and even goes as far to tell her that he wants to have sex with her for the first time in a while. American Beauty is so appealing through the first 40 pages because it is realistic, witty and is flowing well. One prediction that i have for future reading is that Lester's wife, Carolyn will cheat on Lester with Buddy Kane, the real estate King. The part of the first 40 pages that has caught my eye the most is the growingly awkward and hilarious relationship between Lester and his daughter's friend, Angela. I loved when Lester over heard her saying that she would sleep with him if he worked out more and in the very next scene, Lester is going through boxes so he can find weights and begin lifting weights.
ReplyDeleteMax Kornstein
ReplyDeleteThe first 40 pages of American Beauty were much different than I expected. The characters are all intertwined very creatively and I can tell it going to be a good story. As of now my favorite character to watch interact is Lester. The way he treats his wife, daughter, and Angela is funny to me because he is so awkward. I can't wait to see what happens between Lester and his new neighbor, Jane's classmate, Ricky.
i was very taken back by the beginning of the screenplay. i was not expecting it to be so... "open". anyhow, the story thus far i find has a parallel to the movie "Crash", in terms of all the characters being connected, only in this case, instead of the characters not knowing each other, they are unaware of the others around them being in contact with one another. it will be interesting to find out how this all plays out.
ReplyDeleteIan Hazelton
ReplyDeleteThroughout the first forty pages of American Beauty I was surprised at the different family structures and the different dynamics. At first we are introduced the the Burnham family which seemed like and other regular American family, but we quickly realize that deeper this family is in a crisis and are practically on the verge of falling apart. There is Lester who is for the most part a loser with little self esteem and most likely is depressed. There is also his wife, Carolyn who is an extremely determined woman, but is only concerned with appearances, and tries to cover up her own failing marriage through her own controlling and fake nature. And finally we have Jane who despises and is embarrassed by her parents. She also seems to have the low self esteem her father has. We are also introduced to the Fitts family, which on the outside also looks like another average American family, but find it is also not as it seems. The father Colonel Frank Fitts is a strict father who rules with a strong hand. I can be seen with the mother's weak character, and the way he talks to his son, Ricky. It seems so far that an underlying theme is that things are not as they seem.
Samuel Yaffar
ReplyDeleteThe first 40 pages of American Beauty introduce the main problem of the script. We find that in all of the characters there is something or some insecurity about each of them that they don't like about themselves. The main character Lester however, realizes this problem and is the only one who tries to make a change. He is unhappy with his life and knows that it has turned away from the path of happiness that he started on so long ago in his life. He meets Ricky who is the idol of youth in Lester's eyes and sees what he wants to change about himself and so he does. He starts smoking pot again and working out to make himself happy again unlike the other characters who just continue their lives in their unhappy state.
Jessika Pisano
ReplyDeleteWhen we starting reading American Beauty it was different from what I expected. I like that it is so provocative and "open" so to speak. I think you get a good sense of the characters through their dialogue. I think the book has a lot of humor in it and captivates the audience because of the interesting characters. Angela seems to be a little loose and I am interested in the relationship that will come to surface between her and Jane' sexually frustrated dad, Lester.
The first 40 pages of the Screenplay really gives the audience a great perspective of the main characters, allowing us to peer right into the lives of each character.
ReplyDeleteThe first page already gives the audience a sense of how dull Lester's life is; a life in which he feels "dead already".
We are shown how a multitude of occurrences happen all around Lester, such as new neighbors moving in or the increasing unrest between him and his family members, however Lester carries on floating through life.
We clearly see how aloof Lester is.
Especially when he is placed next to his wife, a crude juxtaposition to Lester's character.
Carolyn is shown as somebody who will attain her ends at any means necessary. Even though Carolyn's persona provides a sense of irony; in that she feels the need to convey a certain "image", or, for example, how she couldn't have the heart to just cut something down unless it was "partially" hers, her character is further developed throughout the 40 pages and she is shown in a different light.
Carolyn is given more depth, and the audience feels empathy for her when she is shown suffering due to her lack of success.
She is shown slapping herself, hating what she becomes whenever she is "weak". At the same time however, she is the type of person how feels happiness when she is in control, a guise Lester easily sees through claiming that he still has "blood pumping" through his veins.
It's even fairly comedic how Lester and Carolyn are shown fighting with each other, and over Jane; yet Jane is unattainable to either of them.
Jane is, however, completely encapsulated by the confidence of Ricky.
Ironically, even though there is great animosity between Jane and Lester, Lester himself is also mesmerized by Ricky, calling him his "personal hero".
We are shown how Ricky provides a role model for both Jane and Lester, and himself is somewhat above reality, as if he is a non-existant ideal that both Jane and Lester strive for.
As of yet, I found Ricky's character to be the most interesting, especially in contrast with his bold father.