《美国丽人》英文角色分析

A Brief Analysis Of Lester Burnham In 《American Beauty》

徐朋

Introduction

《American Beauty》is directed by Sam Meendes. The main character in this film is called Lester Burnham . He has a wife named Carolyn Burnham and a daughter Jane Burnhan . Lester is forty-two years old and feels his life is flat and dull ,feeling that he has lost something .Then his daughter’s friend Angela Hages came into his life and many changes happened in his life and sense.At last, he finds his personality. But the people around hi m don’t understand him and finally killed him. This film brings the social problems in American society to light. Although the film is over ,we are still in thinking .

Key Words

Lester Burn ham changes personality social problems

(一）Summarization of the spot of the film

“My name is Lester, This is my hometown,this is my street,this is my life.I’m 42 years old and last in the year.I’ll be dead .Of course,I don’t know that yet.And in little way, I’m dead already ……Both my wife and my daughter think I’m a lose r and they are right.I have lost something.I’m not exactly sure what it is,but I know I didn’t always feel this,but do you know what?It’s never too late to get it back .”This is the beginning of the film.

Lester is an ordinary editor,face the unemployment crisis and feels empty.His wife is a real estate agent and works hard to achieve success.His daughter Jane Burham is an junior middle school student and at the age of revolting time. This family is not harmonious as outside looks.

When Lester saw Angela,everything changed.He knows he should live for himself and he quits his job that he doesn’t like it and begin s to take drug and exercise. He don’t care that his wife has betrayed him.He wants to have Angela,but when this day comes, he gives up her. At the moment before he was killed,he knows the sense of life.

（二）Social problems that the film reveals

In my opinion, the success of this film is that It has revealed the social problems that exist in American society.

In real life,many people live unhappily and they have lost their personality. They don’t know what is really they want and they are like to live in a cage. The cage is made by themselves. They use their old and rigid moral concept to firm this cage and make it smaller. They don’t have the idea or take any actions to change this situation. They even laugh at or try to make conflict with those who have gotten our of the cage and try to chase happiness and real freedom. They are like Carolyn Burnham who wants to kill his husband when she is in rage. They also like Barbara Fitts , a gay, when he is rejected by Lester he killed him. In