The American beauty film of 1999 depicts an extended struggle of an American family to gain public perfection. The film director, Sam Mendes, illustrates multiple changes that the family experienced when attempting to achieve a perfect image publicly. Various multi-media platforms depict the representation of males based on consistent and consequence of work engagement to portray "real men" as active and robust agents who attract females sexually. However, the film focuses on Colonel Frank Fitts and Lester Burnham, the characters who demonstrate multiple masculine transformations. Lester does not exhibit aspects of traditional masculinity at the beginning of the film.
However, he changes his masculine behaviors after noticing that Angela, his daughter Janet's friend, portrays attraction to his masculine figure. Lester transforms his garage into a personal gym to gain muscle; subsequently, he conforms to traditional masculinity (Mendes, 1999). Even though Lester experiences a series of masculinity transformations, he demonstrates aspects of a better husband and father in the film.
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Moreover, the conducts of Colonel Frank Fitts depicts aspects of traditional masculinity; he seeks reputation as a successful, strong, authoritative, and capable man in the public sphere. The ultimate authority of Colonel Frank Fitts against Ricky Fitts, his son, results in the confrontation, which led Ricky to vacate the room to Lester's home (Mendes, 1999). Finally, the conformation of Colonel Frank Fitts to traditional masculinity through aggression encouraged him to assassinate Lester.
Farrel (1992) holds that women have monopolistic power over children or possess delicate mothering ego resulting from a matriarchy of men. Sports, work rules, games, losing, and winning in events demonstrate unfair treatment of participants. Consequently, masculinity affects decisions of sporting activities.
The term "like a girl" contains some elements of humiliation among females. Notably, during the puberty stage, girls attempt to experience self-discovery and stereotype words such as perform an act "like a girl" demoralizes girls in their endeavors to achieve personal objectives. The actors in the film Like a Girl " demonstrates that acting like a girl contradicts their perception of girls during puberty stage (Always, 2014). During the adolescent stage, girls have an understanding of self-strength. When asked to act like a girl, they develop a sense of self-humiliation, which results in a change of attitude in girls at approximately 12 to 18 years.
Masculinity aspects relate femininity to weakness. The concept considers women or girls as weak creatures who cannot manage their emotions. The characters in the film, " Like a Girl, " depict weakness in the physical capability of girls (Always, 2014). The demonstration of actors on how girls fight illustrates the physical vulnerability of females. The characters exhibit the extend of weakness when demonstrating how to throw and run like a girl.
Masculinity affects the self-concept of girls and women negatively. Comparing masculinity to femininity causes girls to experience a sense of dilemma on one's self. Always (2014), illustrates that walking or fighting such as a girl may cause humiliation in girls because of the society associate girls with minimal strength for aggressive exercises. The stereotype may result in dissatisfaction in one's self, causing social isolation among girls and women. Moreover, the stereotype affects relationships, memories, and significant values that create a sense of one's self. Masculinity affects cultivated human relationships, such as friendship, partnership, parent, and childhood identity negatively.
However, embracing the concept, " Like a Girl " promotes a sense of self-acceptance among girls. Personal acceptance promotes a positive attitude towards one's self (Always, 2014). For instance, the characters in the last scene of the film, " Like a Girl " holds that performing activities like a girl implies success in the endeavors such as running, fighting, swimming, and kicking because girls are similarly victors like boys.
References
Always (2014). Like a Girl. YouTube . Retrieved on 21st April 21, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs
Farrell, W. (1992). We should embrace traditional masculinity. Views from the male world, 10-16.
Mendes, S. (1999). American Beauty. Putlocker . Retrieved from https://www.putlocker.today/american-beauty/
