 Hausmann says the film " explicitly affirms the importance of upholding the prohibition against incest " ; a recurring theme of Ball 's work is his comparison of the taboos against incest and homosexuality . Instead of making an overt distinction , American Beauty looks at how their repression can lead to violence . Col. Fitts is so ashamed of his homosexuality that it drives him to murder Lester . Ball said , " The movie is in part about how homophobia is based in fear and repression and about what [ they ] can do . " The film implies two unfulfilled incestuous desires : Lester 's pursuit of Angela is a manifestation of his lust for his own daughter , while Col. Fitts ' repression is exhibited through the almost sexualized discipline with which he controls Ricky . Consequently , Ricky realizes that he can only hurt his father by falsely telling him he is homosexual , while Angela 's vulnerability and submission to Lester reminds him of his responsibilities and the limits of his fantasy . Col. Fitts represents Ball 's father , whose repressed homosexual desires led to his own unhappiness . Ball rewrote Col. Fitts to delay revealing him as homosexual , which Munt reads as a possible " deferment of Ball 's own patriarchal @-@ incest fantasies " . 
 Hausmann <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>says</mark></a> the film " explicitly <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>affirms</mark></a> the importance of upholding the prohibition against incest " ; a recurring theme of Ball <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>work is his comparison of the taboos against incest and homosexuality . Instead of making an overt distinction , American Beauty <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>looks</mark></a> at how their repression can lead to violence . Col. Fitts <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>so ashamed of his homosexuality that it <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>drives</mark></a> him to murder Lester . Ball said , " The movie is in part about how homophobia is based in fear and repression and about what [ they ] can do . " The film <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>implies</mark></a> two unfulfilled incestuous desires : Lester <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'s</mark></a>pursuit of Angela is a manifestation of his lust for his own daughter , while Col. Fitts <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'</mark></a>repression is exhibited through the almost sexualized discipline with which he <a href='uninflect' title='10'><mark>controls</mark></a> Ricky . Consequently , Ricky <a href='uninflect' title='11'><mark>realizes</mark></a> that he can only hurt his father by falsely telling him he is homosexual , while Angela <a href='null_genetive' title='12'><mark>'s</mark></a>vulnerability and submission to Lester <a href='uninflect' title='13'><mark>reminds</mark></a> him of his responsibilities and the limits of his fantasy . Col. Fitts <a href='uninflect' title='14'><mark>represents</mark></a> Ball <a href='null_genetive' title='15'><mark>'s</mark></a>father , whose repressed homosexual desires led to his own unhappiness . Ball rewrote Col. Fitts to delay revealing him as homosexual , which Munt <a href='uninflect' title='16'><mark>reads</mark></a> as a possible " deferment of Ball <a href='null_genetive' title='17'><mark>'s</mark></a>own patriarchal @-@ incest fantasies " . 
Hausmann say the film " explicitly affirm the importance of upholding the prohibition against incest " ; a recurring theme of Ball  wrk is his comparison of the taboos against incest and homosexuality . Instead of making an overt distinction , American Beauty look at how their repression can lead to violence . Col. Fitts so ashamed of his homosexuality that it drive em to murder Lester . Ball said , " da movie is in part abt how homophobia is based in fear and repression and about wht [ they ] can do . " The film imply 2 unfulfilled incestuous desires : Lester  pursuit of Angela is a manifestation of his lust for his own daughter , while Col. Fitts  repression is exhibited through the almost sexualized discipline witt which he control Ricky . Consequently , Ricky kno that he can only hurt his father by falsely tellin him he is homosexual , while Angela  vulnerability and submission to Lester remind hemof his responsibilities and tdalimits of his fantasy . Col. Fitts represent Ball  father , whose repressed homosexual desires led to his own unhappiness . Ball rewrote Col. Fitts to delay revealing hiems homosexual , which Munt read as a possible " deferment of Ball  own patriarchal @-@ incest fantasies " .