Principles of Human Sexuality: American Beauty

The principles of human sexuality go beyond scientific data, psychoanalyst research, or collected surveys. Human sexuality is a topic within its world and is a juxtapose of diverse cultural emotions, attitudes, and behaviors. However, despite the diversity among the various groups within the American culture, there are similar attitudes and behaviors that everyone relates to on some level. Erotic dream or fantasies is something everyone experiences — to some degree, some more often than others. Homophobia is an issue that is still relevant today and exists in all ethnic groups, unfortunately. And, most relationships require effective communication to have a long-lasting marriage. The film American Beauty shines a light to some of the issues within these topics and paints a not-so-pretty picture to people who have a difficult time disclosing those issues.

In this exposition, the film American Beauty will be analyzed and categorized into these three topics that are also addressed in the text, Our Sexuality. A textbook that contains information regarding human sexual behaviors. The issues that will be discussed in this research are covered in chapters five, seven, and eight: Chapter 5 addresses Gender Issues, Chapter 7 discusses Love and Communication in Intimate Relationships, and Chapter 8 highlights the sexual behaviors (erotic dreams, etc.). It is important to note that the film American Beauty is not a 'chick flick” or love movie of any sort. The movie is a psychological film that contains graphic images (and may contain sensitive material for some viewers), and it is intended to make the viewer feel on edge. The film came out during a time when men and women were beginning to express their sexuality, therefore, some of the scenes in the film might still be too “mainstream” for some viewers. But, without further ado, this exploration may now take its course.

Principles of Human Sexuality: American Beauty

The motion picture, American Beauty is a 1999 film directed by Sam Mendes. The film portrays different sexuality concepts discussed in the text, Our Sexuality, and issues that everybody encounters sooner or later in their life. The film is about a rural dad, Lester Burnham, that obsesses over his adolescent daughter’s friend, Angela Hayes. He starts to have sensual dreams and fantasizes about her; which is a topic discussed in Chapter 8: Sexual Behaviors. Lester also has unresolved complications in his marriage which creates sexual tension and leads to a toxic marriage with his wife, Carolyn. Their marriage is best categorized under chapter 7: communication. Suggestive dreams (or erotic dreams), homophobia, love, and communication are three ideas delineated inside the film that will be talked about in this investigation. This exposition will endeavor to validate their accuracy by referencing back to the film and content found in, Our Sexuality.

The movie is like watching soft porn which might be one of the reasons people have admitted feeling uncomfortable while watching it. Or perhaps it is the running themes mentioned above concerning certain sexual behaviors and attitudes. The topic of sexual fantasies was demonstrated a considerable lot. One might say that it was the running theme throughout the entire film. It appeared in the scene where Lester caught the eye of his daughter’s friend, Angela, during their cheerleader dance and in a split second began pining for her; and the scene where his daughter has Angela over and stumbles on his words also displays covet behavior. In the scene where Lester was sleeping with his wife Carolyn and began masturbating to his sexual fantasy with Angela is another scene worth noting. These three scenes stand out the most because people can relate to this kind of behavior but might only admit subconsciously to their guilt. It is not something people are willing to openly share or discuss but they are what most would call, 'normal' behaviors behind closed doors.

Erotic dreams, happening while sleeping, is a 'sexual encounter that happens in one's mind' (Crooks and Baur, 2014). These psychological pictures originate from want and are fueled by one's imagination or life experience. Erotic fantasies are the equivalent, however, these occur as fantasies, intensified by sexual experiences. Both assist during masturbation and are 'sources of pleasure and arousal'. In the first portion of the film Lester, the hero is appeared to have dreams about Angela. Forty-two minutes into the film, we see Lester having a suggestive dream, to which he has woken up from by his significant other, Carolyn because she catches him masturbating. It may help to mention that, Lester and his significant other are falling out of their marriage. This will be tended to later as the third subject of talk: love and communication.

However, before addressing communication issues in relationships it is important to note the sexual deprivation which Lester experienced in his marriage with Carolyn. The journal, 'Sexual Desire, Not Hypersexuality, Predicts Self-Regulation of Sexual Arousal' by Maxwell Moholy, discusses how an individual's capacity to control their sexual wants is assisted with close time with their spouse (in this case Carolyn) or a sound discharge. When neither of these forms of sexual release is met, it can lead to clinical mental complications, sexual frustration, and social or work in capability. The diagnosis for this is called hypersexual disorder. Which causes an individual to be fixated on his/her erotic fantasies or activities that can interfere with their daily routines. It is important to note that throughout American Beauty, Lester did not reach orgasm through sexual pleasure. His desires or needs where not being met in his marriage and the probability of him developing hypersexual disorder was high. In the film, the hypersexual disorder is not the only disorder suggested.

Unlike hypersexual disorder, which can probably be treated, homophobia cannot. Homophobia is hostile feelings — or strong feelings of loathing, or in other words hate — directed towards members of the gay community. Crooks and Baur describe homophobia as, “a fear of the possibility of homosexuality in oneself and loathing of one’s homosexuality”. Homophobia was a repetitive subject in the film with a specific character being the primary star, Colonel Frank. On four separate occasions in the film, he makes solid homophobic comments about his neighbors. One scene is when two homosexual men ring his doorbell and he answers it. The two men are there to welcome him into the neighborhood, but Frank soon learns that they are a couple. A scene, he finds to be unsightly. In the fifth upheaval, he gets fiercely physical with his son, Ricky, whom he suspects to have performed fellatio on Lester. At last, Frank is so vexed and confounded that he heads toward Lester and grasps him, followed with a kiss (hoorah). Frank's demeanor after he kisses Lester reveals his disarray towards his very own sexuality. This scene is a precise portrayal of what homophobia is characterized by Crooks and Baur.

There are many cases in which people find themselves struggling with their sexuality due to societal pressures. Alan Turing — the famous World War II, Enigma code breaker — was convicted by the British government (1952) for engaging in “gross indecency”, the penalties led to his suicide in 1954. This is not the only extreme case that exists, others like it have occurred here in American soil, by the hands of American people. That is why communication is key. It is important to always listen and learn what the needs of those we love are; instead of pressuring them to be something they are not. This directs this commentary into the last order of business: communication.

Communication is important for any relationship. For day by day connections, sharing sexual history, and for an enduring relationship: openness is of the utmost importance. Having open sexual correspondence is an ideal opportunity to become acquainted with your spouse: their wants, needs, and concerns. To have this ability one must have shared sympathy. The sentiment of consolation, that they both feel included and responds similarly to each other's emotions is necessary for a successful relationship. Unfortunately, this was missing in Lester's and Carolyn's marriage. In the film, Lester and his wife are continually contending, Carolyn shows different types of abuse towards Lester and Lester is submissive towards his wife's hostility. Lester, in one of the scenes, communicates his sexual frustration and there is a moment of association between the two, however, it is cut short. This is due to the short temper and criticism Carolyn directs towards Lester.

In the text, Crooks and Baur suggest that for a successful relationship, couples must learn to communicate effectively. Instead of nitpicking at each other, they should offer compliments in moments of an appraisal. Carolyn eventually cheats on Lester and facilitates her sexual pressures. Rather than speaking with Lester, she engages in nonconsensual extramarital sex, which supports the earlier claim that openness is of the utmost importance for enduring relationships. It is quite evident that this film portrays not only sexual behaviors but exposes human behaviors at its core. Of course, not everyone is comfortable with admitting the truth to themselves but if there is anything American Beauty can teach anyone, it is the beauty of acceptance. The intention behind this exposition was not meant to sway the heart but to explore the three human sexuality concepts within the movie, American Beauty. These concepts can be identified in the daily routines of the everyday lives of people around the world. The issues that were explored where Erotic Dreams and Fantasies, Homophobia, and Communication.