his life. In the movie, Lester attempted to free himself of his current obligations and become a strong, healthy man like he probably was previously. By feeding his superego's need of young girls and sports cars, Lester embodies what most men experience in a mid-life crisis. The Freudian term that comes to mind that best describes Lester's wife, Carolyn is "neurotic." She spends so much time outside tending to her garden so that the whole neighborhood can see what a good nurturer she is. Yet inside the house she is unable to nurture because her daughter and husband don't like her. Lester and Jane have nothing but contempt for her, though Lester has no problem with Carolyn being the primary money earner in the family. She attempts to escape the unfortunate scene at home by having an affair with her successful real estate competitor Buddy Kane. Lester finds out about their affair when they stop for a burger at the fast-foot restaurant where Lester has taken a job. Freud, while not very interested in the psychoanalysis of women outside of the realm of sexuality, would find Carolyn intriguing. I think that he would point to her loss of nurturing in the home for her daughter and husband as the source of her problems. Because the woman's primary instinctual action is to nurture, once it was taken away prematurely, she was a lost soul. She tried to pour her energy into being a successful Realtor, but when she succumbed to the seduction of the man who she was trying to overcome, she felt internally defeated. The added stress of being caught by her husband drove her to a nervous breakdown in her car near the end of the movie.The Burnam's next-door-neighbors are Col. and Mrs. Fitts, and their eighteen-year-old son, Ricky. Col. Fitts is a paranoid homophobic who is violently abusive both physically and mentally to Ricky. Col. Fitts has taught Ricky that he should never show weakness or ever be tolerant of homosexuals. Ricky makes a lot of ...
