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 " .