Sociological Analysis Of Mean Girls

This paper provides a film analysis using the three theoretical perspectives; Symbolic Interactionist, Functionalist and Conflict Theorist. Additionally, this exploration is organized by each theoretical view. Furthermore, this review includes the opinion of this writer’s strongest theoretical perspective, as well as considering additional questions relating to the correlation of micro and macro sociology within the film. Thus, the film chosen for this analysis is “Mean Girls”, the 2004 comedy with a moral plot which is written by Tina Fey and directed by Mark Waters. Indeed, this film relates to the sociological area of gender and by watching this film through different lenses, this writer ascertains the intricacies of each role and function

which serve specific purposes in presenting the moral of the story. The Symbolic Interactionist theoretical perspective provides the best method of analysis as most of the film displays overt examples of cultural messages, both material and non-material in nature, to shape the moral of the overall story for the audience.
To begin, the film centers around a teenage girl named Cady Heron (played by Lindsay Lohan), raised in Africa by highly intelligent scientist parents (played by Anna Gasteyer and Neil Flynn) and now living in the suburbs of Chicago as a result of her mom receiving a tenured position at Northwestern University. Additionally, Cady is ready for new adventures and decides to evolve her social/academic lifestyle from the home-school environment to the public school system. In the beginning, Cady is completely clueless about how to integrate into high school and is naïve to the social games played by her cohorts, though she quickly gets exposed to the harsh reality of peer pressures in high school as she struggles to navigate. As such, Cady befriends two teens named Janis (played by Lizzie Caplan) and Damian (played by Daniel Franzese) and soon begins plotting to sabotage the school’s “mean girls”, by infiltrating the coveted clique called “The Plastics”. She soon finds herself caught up in the drama of trying to maintain her status as a plastic, and neglecting her genuine friendships as well as her academic integrity. Eventually, circumstances and consequences lead Cady to realize that building self-confidence by being true to one’s self versus pretending to be someone they are not and relying on others for constant adoration, is the pinnacle of success and the key to surviving and thriving in high school.
Symbolic Interactionist Analysis
First, the symbolic interactionist analysis examines content from a micro perspective.

That is to say, this theory analyzes the ongoing process of social interaction in specific settings based on symbolic communication whereby individual perceptions of reality are varied and changing. Similarly, the focus of symbolic interaction analysis is face-to-face interaction as well as how characters adopt symbols to create a social life. The characters of Regina, Karen and Gretchen engage in conduct to influence their social world, hence shaping the reality by which others perceive them through implementing social “rules”. This serves as a means to advance a perception of their perfection. For example, Cady accepts invitation to sit with the girls (The Plastics) during lunch and gains an “education” about what it means to be “plastic”. Specifically, Gretchen and Karen communicate the requirements for what Regina considers “proper dress” in representing their image of superiority as the uttermost exquisite girls of the “society” (high school). Their leader, Regina George (played by Rachel McAdams), establishes a plethora of rules, which each girl must follow, in order to achieve excellence in “girl world”. Accordingly, Karen (played by Amanda Seyfried) informs Cady, “Wednesdays we wear pink”. Also, throughout the film, there are several references to how each girl is, and is not, allowed to behave so as not to compete with, or overshadow, Regina. Specifically, at one point

in the film, Gretchen (played by Lacy Chabert), confides in Cady that she’s not allowed to wear her stunning gold hoop earrings she received as a gift from her parents since Regina did not approve of them. Subsequently, Gretchen perpetuates her role as a victim of Regina’s demands, claiming that she “had to pretend not to like the earrings” so as not to expose Regina’s controlling influence over her. Similarly, the plastics create and change social patterns by establishing their norms in what is referred to as “girl code”. For example, when Cady confesses that she has a crush on Aaron Samuels, the boy in her math class, both Gretchen and Karen immediately forbid Cady from cultivating a relationship with him because he’s Regina’s ex-boyfriend. Gretchen explains that it would be against “the rules of feminism” if Cady were to strike up a friendship with Aaron.
The prime material cultural symbol of the film is the “Burn Book”, which serves as a compilation of disparaging comments from gossip-venting sessions about cohorts and school faculty. This type of behavior relates to our social world with regards to transparency, the girls in the film exhibit insecurities, therefore they participate in disingenuous, and often, demeaning behavior as a means to pledge their allegiance to Regina. Consequently, later in the film, Regina uses the burn book to seek revenge on the girls by photocopying its contents and littering the school halls with it, exposing the horrific rumors created about each of their classmates. However, the most poignant use of symbolic interaction in the film comes near the close of the film, when Cady wins the coveted title of “Spring Fling Queen” and gets presented with the grand tiara. She delivers her heartfelt speech about how everyone deserves to be celebrated for admirable qualities they possess, while highlighting the significance of the tiara is irrelevant as it’s “just plastic”. She then proceeds to break the tiara into pieces as her fellow students gasp in astonishment; then tosses the pieces out to her peers in an inclusive motion while complimenting them on positive aspects of their self-worth.
Functionalist Analysis
Second, the functional theoretical analysis views this film from a macro perspective.

Hence, this perspective views society holistically as a system of interrelated parts which are relatively stable due to widespread agreement on social norms and values; each part has a particular function (consequence) in society as a whole. Likewise, the focus of this analysis is the relationships among the parts of society; how these parts are functional (have positive consequences) or dysfunctional (have negative consequences). Indeed, throughout the film are examples of preemptive strikes by Regina which spark psychological warfare among the inner-circle of the plastics, as a dysfunctional means to keep the girls vying for her attention. For example, the film exceptionally illustrates the relationships within the plastics through the practice of the blind “Three-way call”, whereby girls conduct a two-way phone conversation while a third girl secretly listens. This tactic is a means to “catch” one another talking behind the others’ backs and gain what they feel is the truth about one another, as it’s apparent from the beginning of the film that deception is a key factor in their dynamic as the institution of the popular clique. In contrast, the alternative, yet equally significant part, of the society is the group of deviants in the film. From the perspective of the plastics, anyone who does not fit in as a “plastic” is considered to be an outsider (deviant). The plastics view

all outsiders as a lower class, which serve no other purpose than to provide fodder for their burn book. In fact, the first inflection point where this is evidenced takes place when Cady’s sincere friend, Janis (a deviant by the plastic’s standards in the film), confronts Cady about her behavior by pointing out the misperception, “you believe everybody loves you when in reality, everybody hates you”!
Also prevalent were the concepts of social acceptance and academic excellence, which may be interpreted as structural institutions within the context of this film. The characters convey these two structures are coinciding and not acceptable if intermingled. The social structure of the plastics superseded the academic structure of Cady’s academic focus. Specifically, Cady is a math wizard, yet she passes on the opportunity to join the school’s “Mathletes” in order to avoid what her friend Janis deems “social suicide”. She also purposely begins failing math as a means to get close to her crush Aaron, by pretending she needs a math tutor. Eventually she divulges her fake math ineptitude to Aaron who quickly becomes frustrated and tells Cady frankly that failing math is not impressive, and that she “is just like Regina”, which he does not intend as a compliment. This begins the paradigm shift in the two structures, once Cady realizes her actions are absurd, she disregards the social rules of Regina and joins the Mathletes for their final competition where together with the encouragement of their teacher, Ms. Norbury (played by Tina Fey), they are victorious. Additionally, this shift also builds the confidence necessary for Cady to perform the speech at the Spring Fling mentioned earlier in this analysis.