MovieChat Forums > American Beauty (1999) Discussion > Why did Lester's wife feel like a victim...

Why did Lester's wife feel like a victim?

posted 6 years ago by CinemaDemon989 (1286)
4 replies | jump to latest

That's one thing I just never understood about this film. Lester wife referred to herself as 'a victim'. I mean, how? Why?

I look at it from this perspective:

If Lester quit his high paying job, retreated to the garage, started working at a fast food place, started smoking pot, and knowing that his wife was having an affair...how does that make his wife the victim? I mean, seeing that she's getting "nailed by the king" and all...I just find it confusing that feeling victimized would be her response.

[–] pepetoony (1558) 5 years ago

I think it was that book on tape that put into her head that she was somehow a victim. She was just repeating what she was hearing.

[–] Sandman81 (1502) 5 years ago

She was desperately trying to justify her misdeeds that she knew were wrong and still did them anyways.

[–] CinemaDemon989 (1286) 5 years ago

Sounds about right.

[–] ozzy100 (103) 5 years ago

I think it was to highlight how self absorbed she was, Many Many people do that. eff up, do stupid things or horrible things but still try and pass themselves off as the victim with a bunch of excuses, also they blame everyone but themselves thats what she was doing to Lester, putting all the blame him for the train-wreck that was her marriage, for the broken relationship with her daughter, for how unhappy she was in her job, for just about everything else wrong in her life, because that way she can justify being awful