I believe that Americans refuse to
incorporate the reality of death into their lives clearly because they have
been blinded by the world of perfection. Hmm... Americans are
superficial. We all want the "American dream", which I guess would
basically just be large houses, with exquisite material belongings and money.
People risk their lives, and leave everything behind to become American, and
have their chance at living that dream. This idea is supported in the movie
when Lydia shows a picture of the ghost in their house. Her step mom and dad
both deny the fact that ghost inhabit their home because death is just not
something humans choose not to think about. It isn’t until Otho shares the idea
that they can make a lot of money from having a haunted house that they agree
with Lydia and beg her to get them to show themselves to them. Thus moving
forward into the American dream, making money and buying bigger and better
things.
I believe that in the film,
“Beetlejuice” even that image is portrayed, but at a lesser standard. In the
beginning of the movie the Maitland’s live in a grand house and own a hardware
store, which proves to make them a healthy living. These things can be seen as
the “American dream” of that time, considering things weren’t so luxurious as
they are now, then.
In the film I believe it
denied the fact of death due to the fact that everyone who was dead continuing
living in some sense. It can be argued that they lived their everyday lives as
they did before without the actually responsibility that comes with being
physically alive. Everyone who was dead had a different role in their
everyday....lives? If that’s what should be said. The Maitlands still live in
their house and read books and worked on the model. It’s like they were still
on vacation just longer than they expected to be. Juno, the Maitland’s caseworker
had a busy annoying job like any living person. Death is denied when Lydia
first sees the Maitland’s, if death were being accepted Lydia would just like
her parents be unable to hear or see them. That goes into saying people
only can see what they choose to see.
Death doesn't have a place in the American dream. There's no way to
acquire riches if we die. That's why we choose to ignore it, and pretend it
can't happen to us. Death is the inevitable end, there is no out running it, or
changing your appointed time. Death is an anathema in American culture because Americans
with their “anything is possible!” attitudes never want to give up and admit
defeat when the time has come.
I really liked your analysis of death in relation to the American Dream. You are completely right that there is no role for death in this construct (unless it's the typical very old grandparents dying at their time and leaving more material possessions to their children, fitting in with the Dream). Beetlejuice upsets this right away because the Maitlands certainly aren't dying at "their time. 'In the heteronormative American Dream family unit there is always a mother and a father. There is no space for a family with one parent who has prematurely died. The Maitlants already defy the heteronormative family of the American Dream because they have been unsuccessful in procreating the perfect 2.5 children typical to this family unit.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I don't really understand in your post is when you say that death is denied when Lydia first sees the Maitlands and if she accepted death she wouldn't be able to see or hear them. Don't you think that maybe the darker, introspective Lydia has in some sense accepted death and that's why she can see the Maitlands? Her parents don't seem like they've accepted much of anything at all!
Otherwise, good post.