Self Image In The Breakfast Club

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There are a profuse amount of elements that contribute as to why a person’s self image is formed and how it is formed in that particular way. In the movie, The Breakfast Club, the element that is most evident in the contribution of self image is the parenting style. The movie clearly shows how the characters’ personalities and self image are a result of the different parenting styles they were raised in.
At the beginning of the film each character is introduced and we’re able to see the short interactions they have with their parents while being dropped of to spend the day at Saturday school. The first character that is introduced to us is Claire. Claire is seen in her father’s expensive BMW complaining that it is absurd that she would have …show more content…

His father is shown telling him that what he did wasn’t wrong, but where he did go wrong was getting caught. All the while telling Andrew that he can’t let things like this get in the way or ruin his chances of continuing on in sports. (The Breakfast Club, 1985) This style of parenting is a mix of permissive and authoritarian because when it comes down to sports his father is more on the strict side, always wanting his son to pursue and be extremely good with sports, but when it comes to him being in trouble he dismisses it only caring if it’s going to affect him participating in sports in any kind of …show more content…

He is shown walking through a parking lot not caring that he was almost hit by an oncoming car. As soon as Bender enters the library he starts to instigate and argue with anyone he can strike a fight with. (The Breakfast Club, 1985) At one time provoking Andrew who then states, “...if you disappeared forever it wouldn’t make any difference. You might as well not even exist at this school.” (Hughes, 1984) This basically shows how most people must see Bender, replaceable as well as unimportant. He eventually ends up acting out how his home life is when all the characters come together and start talking about their parents. This reveals that Bender’s parents are the textbook authoritarian type. Not only do his parents call him names such as “stupid” and “worthless”, but Bender speaks on how his father beats both him and his mother. So, it is highly likely that Bender’s criminal act attitude is just a cover up and defence mechanism to protect him from being hurt from anyone. (Hughes,

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