She was constantly critical towards Lester and Carolyn's parenting skills and thought they were uncaring towards her. Bu
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Lester_Burnham_Risen — 10 years ago(June 24, 2015 09:12 PM)
Her dad made an attempt to reach out
Ah yes, always remember the First Stone.
We see Lester ask very politely re school and Jane bites his head off for taking an interest, and confirms to Angela she HATES him taking an interest.
Lester finally stops bashing his head against the wall and STOPS taking an interest.
The main offender was of course the mother who SHOULD have supported the father when Jane lashed out but instead she just gave a nod as if to say "one to me".
http://www.kindleflippages.com/ablog/ -
v_anzaldua — 9 years ago(December 30, 2016 01:09 AM)
The mother then tries to foolishly and confine and make it all about herself. When Jane doesn't give her the response that she wants she slaps Jane across the face.
Yeah. After the slap, she talks about the living conditions Jane has in comparison to what Carolyn herself lived in at Jane's age. Okay, so what if Carolyn lived in a duplex? So what if Jane was living in a nice, two-story suburban home? Jane may have had "everything" materially, but emotionally and psychologically, she was missing time, love, attention, and guidance from her parents. Of course, they were too preoccupied (Lester, with his obsession with Angela) or too materialistic (Carolyn) to even do their jobs parenting Jane. -
AngelCake56FJS — 10 years ago(June 25, 2015 03:42 AM)
The father was just as bad, he never defended Jane against her mother. She was probably a Daddy's girl until he fell into a funk and became unavailable. By Jane's reaction when her mother hit her, something told me that wasn't her first time being hit. She didn't have her dad to run to. At the end of the day Jane may have the body of a woman but she's still a kid and her brain is still developing. Her parents should know better.
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Quicksilver1900 — 10 years ago(July 22, 2015 01:49 AM)
There was a serious lack of boundaries in that family, eg, the big fight the parents had with her there. Carolyn slapping her across the face for her sarcastic comment was way, way out of line. Jane was sullen and depressed, but really the most restrained of the three of them.
"I am always happy to engage in POLITE discourse." -
cartesianthought — 10 years ago(January 02, 2016 09:52 AM)
Not really. The way I see it, their family relationship was quite good when Jane was a child. Then when adolescence hit, things got rocky for her and her parents seemed to have abandoned her emotionally when she needed them the most. They worked longer hours and found it easier to ignore her problems than try to relate to them.
That's the thing about parenting, you need to be there during the critical time of their life (age 12-17). I've actually know lots of people who have told that it seemed like their parents just stopped caring about them after they turned 12 and stopped being "cute". -
njiuma — 10 years ago(January 14, 2016 12:54 PM)
Yes, Jane was a brat.
But her parents were were not properly parenting her.
The underlying theme appears to be that selfishness (the entire family) combined with prosperity (Lester got a $60K/year w/benes severance package, a great salary in 1999 and not too bad even now for a family of 3 with his wife working) can lead to a poor family experience for everyone.
Jane's parents needed to rebuild and restore their family relationship.
They didn't want to work together, maybe go to church as a family, get counseling, get a spiritual focus. They instead looked inwardly on themselves, how they're not being attended to, what they want, selfishness, and instant gratification.
"If you love Jesus Christ and are 100% proud of it copy this and make it your signature!" -
Lester_Burnham_Risen — 10 years ago(January 16, 2016 07:49 PM)
Sweet Jesus don't figure in the American Beauty
Nietzsche spake to that 150 years before re Krautenis Ultimus having killed God for the benefit of Ultimate Man, not knowing his soul mate Zarathustra was accurately forecasting Americanus Ultimus, starting 1970.
Lester needed a daughter who was a role model
http://www.kindleflippages.com/ablog/ -
njiuma — 10 years ago(February 12, 2016 09:10 AM)
Sweet Jesus don't figure in the American Beauty
- ? i don't understand this sentence
Nietzsche spake to that 150 years before re Krautenis Ultimus having killed God for the benefit of Ultimate Man, not knowing his soul mate Zarathustra was accurately forecasting Americanus Ultimus, starting 1970. - i am not familiar with this legend and haven't educated myself with Nietzsche. the screenwriter(s) may have intended what you are referencing as a part of or underlying theme of the story.
Lester needed a daughter who was a role model - this may be true either philosophically and/or as an intention of the story.
However, i am speaking as if it were a real-life scenario
(obviously Lester would still be alive because no one narrates their life story after they've died).
an adult typically ought to BE a role model for their child, spouse, and community - not need their child to be one for them.
i believe:
Jane was a spoiled brat. A result of poor parenting and a "me" focused society.
Her parents were were not properly parenting her. Christian, Biblical parenting often (though not always - the "PK" i.e. "Pastor's Kid" hellion is a cliche but also a truism) results in humbler, more understanding kids and more genuinely loving, supportive parents.
The underlying theme appears to be that selfishness (the entire family) combined with prosperity can lead to a poor family experience.
Jane's parents needed to rebuild and restore their family relationship.
They didn't want to work together, go to church as a family, get counseling, get a spiritual focus. They instead looked inwardly on themselves, how they're not being attended to, what they want, selfishness, and instant gratification.
Thus, the "American Dream" is mirrored in the "American Beauty" title, film, and story: the American Dream is only truly realized if material prosperity is balanced with spiritual focus and personal sacrifice.
As Art often imitates life, I think that in real life they could have worked through their dysfunction and had a great family together. But that would make a rather boring story unless the intent were for a "Hallmark genre" film.
As I see it, their dysfunction
led to his murder in the end.
"If you love Jesus Christ and are 100% proud of it copy this and make it your signature!"
- ? i don't understand this sentence