permeating images that have consumed mainstream American life. Mendes exploits these

images as constructions that we created around ourselves as a means of hiding our true selves. Mendes is able to implicate us in the construction and make us active viewers by exploiting our voyeuristic nature, the nature of a prying observer to usually seek the sordid or the scandalous. In American Beauty, Mendes uses the voyeuristic tendencies of the spectator to acknowledge the constructed images. Also, through the use of narration, the mise- en- scene and cinematic techniques, Mendes has the spectator use their voyeuristic tendencies to deconstruct the images in order to reveal the true image. From the start of the film the construction of images is evident.

American Beauty begins with the obvious constructed shot of a young teenage girl, shown through the use of a hand-held camera. The narration reveals that she wants her father dead. The image portrayed about her is constructed as an evil, unaffectionate youth. The next scene is of a high angle shot, with a voice-over narration. The voice-over goes to explain that Lester Burnham is speaking

American Beauty. Dir. Sam Mendes. Dreamworks /Warner

The narration that accompanies the scene is allowing our voyeuristic desires to enter into the private lives without guilt or shame. Mendes as does Lester asks the spectator to be the voyeur. As well the sign on Lester's cubicle wall is not a coincidence. Mendes is again soliciting the spectator's voyeuristic nature by placing a sign that asks us to "look closer." This theme of looking past the constructed images is Mendes way of telling us to look past the superficial images that we represent and to find a way to see our true selves. The construction of images within the narrative is important to how Mendes constructs them through cinematic techniques. Carolyn Burnham, real estate agent, mother and wife have been, from the very beginning is constructed through the narrative in such a way that the spectator defines her as someone who is consumed by the importance of projecting and maintaining the perfect image. She is often caught, consciously making references concerning images. Referring to Jane Burnham, "are you trying to look unattractive" or to her husband at a real estate gala "there's a certain image . . . " and to herself, " to be successful one must always put forward an image of success." These comments are additions to what the spectator has already been subjected to when Lester points out "that it is not an accident the handles on her pruning sheer's match her gardening clogs." Mendes through his depiction of Carolyn in earlier scenes is directing the spectator to be appalled by Carolyn's obvious shallow and selfish ("could you make me any later?") personality. Yet at the same time Mendes gives the spectator reasons to appreciate Carolyn's obsessive qualities about the projected images. Carolyn respects the dominant ideologies about images, and is consciously aware that she is an object of the gaze. As women are often the objects of the gaze (at least more then men) she is able to understand that there is a need to always be projecting the perfect image. To her this is a way of controlling her surroundings and thus being able to control the image that others will receive from her. It has already been said that Carolyn accepts and respects the role that images play within her day to day life. She also understands the important role of the voyeurs and at the object in which they gaze. Through narration Mendes relates her ideologies to her occupation. As a real estate agent Carolyn is in the business of selling, but more then that, she is trying to sell an image of a lifestyle which centres around the home. In the scene where Carolyn begins to clean the house before the open house, Mendes constructs the understanding that the image is representative of only the surface of an object. Carolyn believes that a clean image on the surface, is enough to sell something. However this was not case and the potential home buyers saw through the image and knew the house was not what it had appeared to be. The potential home buyers deconstructed the images Carolyn constructed for the

Some common words found in the essay are:
Jane Burnham, Jane Lester, Buddy King, Beauty Mendes, Jane Mendes, American Beauty, Lester Burnham, Mendes Lester, Sam Mendes, Rickey Mendes, video camera, american beauty, constructed images, mise en scene, mise en, en scene, images characters, voyeuristic tendencies, close-up shot, mendes constructs, throughout film, potential home buyers, video camera mendes, house house mendes, american beauty mendes,
Approximate Word count = 2062
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)