American Beauty Response Paper prompt
Using appropriate film terminology, write a 300-word essay that answers ONE of the
following questions for ONE of the characters in American Beauty. It is required to use
both evidence from viewing the film and from reading the script.
1. Does the character “cohere” in terms of an abstract value, such as greed or grief?
2. Does the character act out a logical relationship between his/her inner lives and outer
actions?
3. Does the character reflect social and historical assumptions about what’s normal and
abnormal?
4. Is the character inconsistent, contradictory, or divided in their character, pulled
between competing values or motives?
5. Is the character progressing or regressing in the progress of the script?