"American Beauty" as a film text, explores the main institutions of family, marriage, beauty and homosexuality. The relationships within these institutions are explored through the main character of Lester Burnham. The film uses these themes as way to challenge and reinforce the notions of real life 'truths', depicting every day scenarios through power relations and practices. These factors can be explored through the failed marriage of Lester and his wife Caroline and through the relationship …showed first 75 words of 1696 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1696 total…dream because of Lester's failed marriage and his need for love. In conclusion, beauty, homosexuality, marriage and family are all institutions that people face in the real world. In American beauty, these institutional truths are both controversial, enabling in some instances, for these realities to be both challenged and reinforced. The power relations within these discourses are expressed through the characters and their environments, creating meaning for the audience to believe or not to accept.