How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from American Beauty.
Quote #7
RICKY: When I was fifteen, my dad caught me smoking dope. He totally freaked and decided to send me to military school. I told you his whole thing about structure and discipline, right? Well, of course, I got kicked out. Dad and I had this huge fight, he hit me, and the next day at school, some kid made a crack about my haircut, and I just snapped. I wanted to kill him. I would have killed him if they hadn't pulled me off. That's when my dad put me in the hospital. Then they drugged me up and left me in there for two years.
Here, we learn that Ricky does have a bit of a violent side, since he almost killed a kid for making fun of his haircut. This is just one more hint that he might be a little bit dangerous—you know, to leave open the possibility that he just might be capable of killing Lester under the right circumstances.