Social Classes In The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club is a 1985 film about five teenagers who meet at detention. The Breakfast Club deserves to be examined because this film draws attention to the division of people into classes, such as economic classes and social classes, and also exposes the possibility of mobility within these classes. The three journal articles examine how the film portrays these classes, while commenting on the mobility that can be seen within the film, and education’s importance to allow the mobility.
Economic Classes are seen in the beginning of the movie, with the scenes that introduce the characters and show them arriving at the school. Both Long’s article and Bleach’s article take a more formalist approach when examining the economic class difference

between the students and their families. The way in which they arrive is the main indicator of their economic standing, as well as the clothes they wear. For example, Long’s article points out that Jonathan Bender, the “bad-boy” of the film, arrives at the school on foot, instead of in a car, and is wearing a “denim-leather-flannel ensemble,” which shows that Bender comes from a poor background (2014). The symbolism behind riding in the front seat as opposed to riding in the back seat, as well as the car, cars, or condition of the cars, when the students arrive is also assumed to show economic status (Bleach 2010). Long’s article includes the possibility of economic class mobility, and the importance of education to do so. Bender’s SAT verbal score is mentioned, as even the poor and infamously rebellious student can do well on the SAT verbal because of the school system, but Andrew and Brian’s situations are more heavily stressed when considering the opportunities of economic advancement in the film. Andrew and Brian’s families are not able to pay for a college education, instead they are relying on Brian’s grades and Andrew’s wrestling career to take care of the expenses (Long 2014).
Social classes are another focus in the film, as seen in the characters of the students. Stereotypes such as the bad-boy, the nerd, the popular girl, the jock, and the crazy lady are all seen within the characters of John Bender, Brian, Claire, Andrew, and Allison (Warnick 2010). Warnick also points out that “They each represent a distinct clique and view one another with hostility.” Warnick blames social differences on “the sports programs, clubs, and other extracurricular activities,” and explains that the students begin to notice this during the film (2010). The students overcome these differences, as shown by the friendship of Allison and Claire (Bleach 2010), the “Claire Standish-Jonathan Bender couple” (Long 2014), and the letter that the kids write to Principal Vernon (Warnick 2010), as well as many other scenes.
The articles about The Breakfast Club discussed mention social and economic classes and how mobility in these classes can be achieved. This is important because it shows the view of high school cliques, as well as economic classes, in 1985, and how people thought mobility could be achieved, either through education or the students realizing that they are only in different social groups because of programs such as sports and clubs (Warnick 2010).