American Beauty

What’s real beauty for Lester Burnham? How did he feel when he didn’t make love to Angela and was finally killed?

What’s real beauty for Lester Burnham? How did he feel when he didn’t make love to Angela and was finally killed?

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Lester is approaching his enlightenment. He is discovering what reality and beauty is. Lester has figured out that it is the little things in life, the small still moments that make up the fabric of our lives. Lester knows that the truth lies somewhere in the pleasure and the pain, the sacred and profane, "It's hard to stay mad when there is so much beauty in the world."

Oh yes, Lester and Angela. Sure Lester lusts after Angela but he also knows she is a still an adolescent. Part of what Lester does is recognize truth in beauty. He sees Angela not merely as a sex object but rather a confused girl. He doesn't sleep with her. Instead he has a very human talk with her; Lester feels "good."