Stereotypes In The Breakfast Club

THE BREAKFAST CLUB
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation

The Breakfast Club (1985) is a coming-of-age drama-comedy film. The storyline involves five teenagers in the same high school but different cliques. They spend time in the detention—this allows them to learn about each other; thus realizing that they are beyond their previous stereotypes spheres. The five students comprises of characters with different psychological aspects—their perspectives portrays fitting in, peer pressure, and aggressiveness struggles. Moreover, the characters highlight social issues that affect the teenagers—such as prejudices, interaction barriers, stereotyping and labeling.
John Bender, Allison Reynolds, Brian Johnson, Andrew Clark, and Claire Standish checks in at 7:00 am at Shermer High School, Illinois for detention that covers all day. The five students later on gather in the library, where the assistant principal Richard Vernon instructs—offers them strict rules. For instance, not to speak, move from their seats, or sleep. This perhaps implies the nature of the five characters—for instance, stubbornness. Vernon assigns them an essay, titled who you think you are, perhaps he wants them to learn about their personalities. Yet the students spend their hours by arguing, talking, and doing drugs occasionally (IMDB, 1985).
During these sections, the five

students get the chance to open to each other. Therefore, the characters reveal themselves, for instance, Bender’s father is physical and verbal aggressive; Brian’s parents are obsessive with his grades; Claire’s parents are argumentative—and use her to get back at each other; Allison’s parents are never there for her; and Andrew’s father constantly pressures him about wrestling. At the end, all their differences seem to be settled—they appreciate each other. Such result (Understanding others) is essential in any social sphere of interaction. According to their voices at the end, they claim, “But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basketcase, a princess, and a criminal (IMDB, 1985)." The characters depict themes like peer pressure, poor parenting, stereotypes, personalities, and institutionalization.
John Bender is an adolescent with a violent attitude. His aggressiveness originates from the abuse his father subjects to him. Such forceful behavior is reflected in his attitude—for instance, his outbursts with Mr. Vernon. Bender suffers from Fundamental Attribution Error—the act of over attributing the behaviors of others to internal factors. For instance, Mr. Vernon reminds Bender of his father—such memories are disturbing—he, therefore, pretends to be tough; to hinder his vulnerability. Moreover, Bender fights with fellow students and teachers. Bender is considered aggressive and disrespectful—perhaps his character is due to the absence of parental care.
A poignant event for John Bender occurs when his mocks Claire—therefore causing the rest of the students to react to his arrogant behavior. The scene—depicts Claire doing a lipstick trick around his friends, after the trick everybody applause. For Bender, Claire’s trick is a show-off; the scene portrays Bender clapping sarcastically. This suggests that Bender cannot stand her behavior. He considers Claire a spoilt brat who brags because she is from a wealthy family. However, Bender aggressiveness, the other students confronts him and asks him to stop being meant to Claire. Bender proceeds further to explain that he does not even matter—and his disappearance would actually be a good thing to them. This scene elaborates Bender negative attitude—for instance, his need to feel superior; and the need to appear strong rather than vulnerable.
John Bender behavior illustrates his need to feel superior especially when around his friends. Bender absorbs what others say personally and therefore he reacts aggressively. Bender thinks Claire does not deserve to be around them. For instance, because her family offer her everything.
John Bender personal history influences his attitude severely. His rage—aggressiveness towards others arises from the brutal affair he experiences back at home. John Bender personal history reminds him of his father—thus, while at school he focuses on being different. Memories of his father fatal affair—alters his perception in a diminishing manner. For instance, he is arrogant to Claire of her appearances. Such an attitude perhaps is a mechanism acquired to avoid facing the truth that his father controls and violates him. Therefore, when around his friends he acts like his father to cover-up his weaknesses.
During the scene the characters motives varies, For instance, Bender wants to feel superior and diminish Claire attitude of ‘Coolness’; Allison wants them to know about the challenges of getting old and turning out to be like their parents; Andrew is protective—and confronts Bender after acting mean—this is illustrated as Frustration-Aggression Disorder; Brian is calm and observes how they behave—this highlights his intelligence. However, their different feelings, they all want not to be like their parents. After Bender imitates how his father violates him, Andrew exclaims, “My God, are we going to be like our parents”. This suggests what they are all trying to escape—the fear of turning out to be like their parents.
There are various social principles of psychology illustrated in the scene—for instance, Aggression. According to Principles of Social Psychology, Aggression is wired into a brain and thus stimulated by social and incidental variables. Therefore, aggressiveness seems to be a second nature attribute to all the characters. In addition, Frustration Aggression Hypothesis is seen when Andrew reacts to Bender behavior towards Claire. These social principles act as obstacles because they instill negativity among individual thus referencing themselves as outcasts who cannot cope in social setups. Despite their differences, the students use the obstacles to get to know each other better. For instance, they become strong at end for recognizing their weakness, and thus opt to overcome the obstacle.
The Breakfast Club demonstrates the attitudes of different teenagers and how social setup challenges their perspectives.

In the group they are forced to conform and follow the instructions. As a group they lie to cover for Bender, and still maintain peace with the principal. The movie offers new insights on issues based on family and institution. For instance, how an individual’s background affect his/her perspective towards the world (Norms). Another important aspect of the movie highlights how relations at first might seem not to work—but with focus between the individuals, understanding is achieved thus

cooperation.
The takeaway from the movie teaches the essence of engaging in groups that challenges an individual to change his/her previous mindset—the old concepts and thus incorporating a new mindset that is open to different situations.
In conclusion, at the beginning the student illustrates Cognitive Dissonance—the condition where an individual depict inconsistent thoughts especially relating to attitude change and behavioral decisions; the five students judge each other based on how they act. Although at the end, they are in terms with each other. Therefore changing their prejudiced thoughts towards each other.

References

Hayes, N. (1993). Principles of Social Psychology. Abingdon: Psychology Press.
IMDb. (1985). Synopsis for The Breakfast Club. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/synopsis?ref_=tt_stry_pl