The Breakfast Club: Film and Adolescent Development Themes - Essay Example

? The Breakfast Club: Film and Adolescent Development Themes Introduction The 1985 film The Breakfast Club was written and directed by John Hughes, a Hollywood power of the 1980s who brought about the development of the teen-pic style film. The films created by John Hughes both exemplified the time period of the 1980s and explored the life of the phenomenon of the teenage years through unrealistic comedy that was braced against realistic developmental experiences during adolescence (Dunkleberger 73). The Breakfast Club was designed to explore stereotypes as they collided in the framework of Saturday morning detention which served to create an equalizing element. In detention, all the power and social structures were contained within the individual, without the support of peers, thus breaking down some of the barriers between the characters. The movie serves to represent stereotypes and the exploration of adolescent experiences in a way that most Americans can relate to through identifying with elements of their own experiences through the various characters One of the strongest discussions made in the film is that of identity. The struggle between being a part of the collective in contrast to the assertion of individualism is one of the overall themes of the film. The character John Bender serves as an antagonist through which the other characters eventually break down and reveal truths about their experiences and the pressures under which they have found themselves in that detention hall. One of the clear messages of the film is that social identity is not the same as individual identity, and while all learn this lesson it is clear that some will advance through it while others will remain at the same stage because of the pressures that they are under from outside influences. The adult characters in the film are rendered in such a way that it becomes clear that not all issues and aspects of adolescence are conquered after the teen years. Paul Gleeson’s character, Richard Vernon is an example of how some adults do not fully pass through their adolescent behaviors as he comes to cross purposes with the character of John Bender. His reactions are not defined by an adult perspective, but through the belief that he needs to bully this student in order to create control. The character of the janitor Carl, played by John Kapelos, seems to have reached the height of his personal authority during his adolescent years, but has a better grasp on the realities of life than does Vernon. The film balances the adult psychologies against those of the adolescents in the film, exploring the meaning of adolescence as the viewer sees that adulthood does not always mean maturity. The film The Breakfast Club is an ensemble work that provides an exploration of how group mentality and individual growth can sometimes come in conflict, showing that social and peer group behavior is not always reflective of individual personality and growth. The following paper will explore the different ways that the film expresses the experience of adolescent growth and development. The Breakfast Club, one of the best artistic expressions of the adolescent experience, is a film that uses conflict and tension to explore the experience of growing up in America and living the adolescent experience. The film is an example of how peer group experiences influence the development of personal ideals and behaviors. Identity The Breakfast Club begins with a narrated statement written by Michael Anthony Hall’s character, Brian Johnson, who represents students who are considered to be ‘geeks’, ‘nerds’, or ‘brains’, depending on how weaker looking, but more intelligent students were categorized in any given high school. His statement is as follows: Saturday, March 24,1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois, 60062. Dear Mr. Vernon, We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did *was* wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. What do you care? You see us as you want to see us - in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. Correct? That's the way we saw each other at 7:00 this morning. We were brainwashed (IMDB) This statement sets up the premise of the film as the students begin by dismissing each other as being nothing more than representative of a series of stereotypes. The beginning of the film explores the way in which they see each other through their affiliation with other students of a similar type who are categorized according to similar aspects of the physical appearance as it connected to similar interests. Truths begin to emerge about the way in which each student individualizes their experiences within the social group in which they are identified. The students become divided into two groups; with John Bender remaining on the outside of those groups similar to his classification of criminal would place him outside of societal. Molly Ringwald’s character, Claire Standish and Emilio Estevez’s character Andrew Clark represent the more powerful groups in the high school atmosphere. Clair is wealthy and wears stylish, expensive clothing and is very active in popular clubs and experiences. Andrew is a jock, his role based upon his skills in athletics. Claire and Andrew are involved in very different social groups, but are both popular and have a certain amount of power in the dynamic of the overall social structure of the school. The character of Brian and Ally Sheedy’s character Allison Reynolds play less popular students with Brian a part of the more intellectually based clubs and Allison being a loner whose social group may actually have no other members, although this is never fully clarified. Each of the characters begin being in conflict with each other. None of these groups, even in the divide between popular and unpopular, relates to the other. Through the development of conversation, however, they begin to find deeper concepts through which they relate. Both Allison and Andrew live in worlds where their personal identities are not the focus of how society sees them. Andrew is identified by his athleticism, but he has no idea who he is outside of that identity. Allison has defined herself through strange behaviors that create a wall between her and the outside world, and she has yet to find a place in which she can express her true self. Claire and John both live in worlds where their socio-economic position identifies them with a group in which their personal power is swallowed by the expectations of society. In this environment, John and Claire are alpha leaders, even though this does not mean that within their social groups they are leaders. Allison and Andrew are not leaders; although where Andrew follows Allison isolates herself. Brian is most likely a leader in his social group, although this too is not clearly defined. Brian Johnson is the most self actualized character, even though his inability to perform in shop class has led to a breakdown where he believed that his life was over because he could not meet the expectations of his parents nor fulfill his own expectations for his academic career because he was going to fail shop class. According to Maslow, self actualization is the ability to explore and to work toward developing all of one’s capacities (Hockenbury and Hockenbury 348). Even though in his social environment Brian would have been considered one of the least impressive, his psychological stability (without the consideration of his momentary lapse in judgment in regard to suicide) and his ability to utilize his talents and capacities at their highest levels supports the idea that he was highly self-actualized. Allison and Claire bond over the fact that they are both largely ignored by their parents. Claire acts out in order to gain the attention of her parents but without crossing lines that would pull her out of her own social status. Allison withdraws and chooses to be odd and invisible, her quiet acting out through odd behaviors, such as using dandruff as snow on a picture she has drawn or squashing chips into her sandwich, ways in which to challenge others for their attention, while maintaining a separation between herself and the rest of the world. It is suggested that she feels so invisible in her own home that she has withdrawn from society, her fear of rejection making her reluctant to seek human interaction. Creating Identity According to Greggorson, “Physiologically, structurally, socially, and psychologically teens have a qualitatively different experience than children. So, their holding environment changes…” (53). High school becomes the cauldron in which the turmoil of adolescence is brought to fruition within the culture of the United States. High school is a social nightmare for many students who find themselves identified with groups through the pressure of the system in which their talents are divided into either popular or unpopular social stereotypes. Erikson placed the development of the identity during adolescence, the rise of the individual through the pressures of social role and adaptation, as occurring between the age of 12 and 19. Ironically, of course, the development of strong peer pressures and stereotyped social groups has created influences on the development of the individual self during that time period. According to Moshman “Erickson believed that conscious interpretations and adaptive choices also play important roles in development” (76). It is during this time period that pressure is balanced against choices that are made about what kind of person into which one wishes to evolve. The basic conflict present in the film is between the individual and the pressures of social groups. Just as Erickson discussed in his theories on the identity versus identity confusion, the characters are going through experiences in which they are working towards understanding how they are going to be within the roles that they choose to adapt to in life. Finding their own voice becomes a struggle between imposed roles and roles that they would choose. Each character is in the middle of the struggle, even though they represent different stages of self awareness. Andrew has no idea who he is and is caught in the role that has been placed upon him. Claire has an idea of who she is, but has yet to assert her own beliefs on how she will conform to the roles she has been given. Allison in the beginning has created a strong pseudo identity, but she, of all of them, has the least clear idea about who she is and what roles she will play. She actively chooses to not play roles in society. As stated previously, Brian has a good handle on his identity, the roles he is choosing based upon the talents he perceives as significant for his identity. John Bender, while the antagonist and the element upon which the other characters bounce their explorations, either has the least defined identity or the greatest level of identity, but the cues in the film allow the viewer to decide which of these avenues his life will take. He has been placed in a social group that actively works to defy social norms, but whether or not this will be the path of his life is left to the imagination. His skills and talents, outside of antagonistic behaviors, are not revealed. He has grown up in a dysfunctional and abusive home leaving his future without true direction which can be corrected, but is just as likely to continue. Bender is a force to be reckoned with in the film, his actions being contradictive to all sense of authority and his challenging dialogue creating a threat to the belief systems that frame the nature of life for the other characters in such a way that they feel the need to defend themselves. In creating differing levels of defense, they find that they come to a great deal of self revelation from which change is likely to occur. On the other hand, through the character of Richard Vernon, the vulnerability and lingering childhood of John Bender is revealed. While he seems self-actualized and confirmed in his role as a criminal, his true vulnerability is based upon the way in which authority figures have let him down. He relates the abuse of his father which sets up this sense of vulnerability, but as he relates that story his anger is clear, but his pain is somewhat muted. When Vernon places John in isolation and threatens to find him and beat him up, the pain of the way in which authority figures have let him down becomes real and tangible. The shock and look in his eyes reveals the affect that this moment has on him as he sees a teacher who considers him unworthy of basic human respect and uses bullying tactics to pressure him into conforming. Vernon reveals his inadequacy as an authority figure and John is once again the victim of abuse. At this moment, the audience sees that he is, above all, the victim of a world that has not treated him fairly. The adult characters of the film represent various aspects of the journeys that the five main characters are experiencing. Vernon is a bully and hasn’t got a sense of empathy for the students for which he has been given the responsibility to guide. He does not seem to care about them and is caught up in his own world. The narcissism that is common among adolescents is reflected in Vernon’s incapacity to see his students and to care about their needs. He bullies, manipulates, threatens, and is completely disengaged from the experience of that Saturday detention experience. Carl is a representation of adult life as it is in contrast to high school experiences. Carl was considered having potential in high school as is revealed by his own presence in the year book from when he was in high school. He represents how high school identities are not often the definition of the future as he works a low end job now cleaning up after the students from a school in which he once was a leader. Discussion and Conclusion At the end of the film the audience sees hope for Allison and Andrew. As Claire has helped Allison transform her look, it is symbolic of how she has opened up her truths to be scrutinized by the others, only to find that she is not only accepted but not so different. Andrew is lost in the roles that have been place on him, but perhaps through a relationship with Allison he can find a new role that he creates for himself. Brian has found a degree of confidence because he has been accepted by the others, but it is likely his life will continue on the same track as he had only been derailed for a moment. Claire has opened up her ideas about social roles and the role she plays in her socio-economic status, but her life will likely not change. Bender will also not change much and while this day has impacted his life, he is still stuck within the framework that his life has created for him. He will still relate best to those who are disenfranchised like himself and continue to be antagonistic. The unfortunate point of the film is that no matter who these people are as individuals, the social roles that they have been placed into remains a powerful and influential part of an unchanging system. Growth has occurred and some aspects of their awareness of those outside of their groups have been accomplished, but the dynamics of the society of their high school has not changed and that is likely to remain the driving force for their behaviors. The great hope is that Allison and Andrew can come to love each other and find an identity outside of the roles they had previously adapted. The truth, however, is that they are a part of a society that divides people by looks, talents, and accomplishments. Who they will be is still in question, but for now they are “a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal” (IMDB). References Dunkleberger, Amy. So You Want to Be a Film or Tv Screenwriter?Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2007. Print. Gregerson, M. B. The cinematic mirror for psychology and life coaching. New York, N.Y: Springer, 2010. Print. Hockenbury, Don H, and Sandra E. Hockenbury. Psychology. New York, NY: Worth Publishers, 2010. Print. IMDB. The Breakfast Club. IMDB. 2011. Web. 11 December 2011. Moshman, David. Adolescent psychological development: Rationality, morality, and identity. New York: Taylor and Francis, Inc., 2008. Print. Read More