*NOTE: This was written in class, under timed exam conditions.
The Breakfast Club
David Bowie, the voice of the youth of multiple generations once said, “And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They’re quite aware of what they’re going through.” Aptly used at the beginning of The Breakfast Club, the quote sums up the text I will be exploring, which is the poster of the movie in question. The 1980s were a time of independence and change, and this is captured perfectly in John Hughes’s seminal film, The Breakfast Club, an exploration into the teenage psyche and a journey through the trials and tribulations of adolescence.
Released in 1985, The Breakfast Club follows five high school kids, “a brain, a beauty, a jock, a rebel, and a recluse” (as stated in the picture) and their experience together during Saturday detention. We can immediately see how the characters embody their stereotypes through the poster, with the beauty spread across the floor, wanting to be drawn like on of your French girls, the recluse sitting awkwardly in the corner clad in black, the jock wearing his champion wrestling jacket, the brain shriveled up in a grandfatherly green jumper, and the rebel proudly adorning his leather glove, denim jacket, and slicked long hair like a pseudo- James Dean. The film and the poster revolve heavily around the exploration of stereotypes and chooses to represent five of the most archetypal characters one would find in a typical American high school. The text is deeply rooted in American culture, which could alienate potential audiences, but is about so much more than these archetypes, under its slightly dated surface.
At first glance, one would assume that the text embraces stereotypes, proudly categorizing its characters in such a way. However, the context of the text is that the film this poster represents is actually one that dismisses common stereotypes, completely subverting them through its characterization of its heroes. The beauty, often dubbed a slut, is actually a virgin. The brain is actually suicidal and faces immense academic pressure. The jock, a champion wrestler, actually hates wrestling and only does it to prove himself to his father. The rebel, who is the toughest guy around, actually comes from an abusive household. And finally, the recluse is actually a compulsive liar in dire need of attention and love. In truth, these characters represent the converse of the stereotypes they initially seem to embody. Herein lies the text’s main message. It’s trying to tell the audience that adolescence is an unstable and disgruntling ride, and that it’s easy to label individuals and categorize them like they are pairs of socks. However, look beyond the surface, dive a little deeper, and you’ll find that these people are so much more.
Teenagers are often misrepresented in cinema. Too many times are adolescents portrayed as rebels without a cause who are disruptive just for the sake of being so, and painting a truly accurate picture is definitely problematic. However, with The Breakfast Club, John Hughes sings the teenage song like never before and offers an authentic representation of the teenage experience. One could argue that this depends on how ‘authentic’ is defined, which is a fair point. A producer of a text can never please everyone. There’s always going to be one person who feels they weren’t represented in the text, which means that no text can ever be 100% accurate. The Breakfast Club, for example, doesn’t have any non-white characters, making it a product of its time. However, it is successful in that by representing five of the most prevalent teenage stereotypes, it is likely to satisfy a larger audience. Just by glancing at the poster alone, people are likely to naturally align themselves with certain characters because they feel represented through that character, establishing an emotional connection.
The consequences of attempting to represent a large group of people can be adverse however, especially when dealing with contentious issues such as depression, suicide, domestic abuse, and peer pressure, as The Breakfast Club does. While I believe this text doesn’t, some could hold the view that this text glorifies stereotypes and the aforementioned topics, and that its representation isn’t sensitive enough. This brings out an ugly but innate truth, which is that the reason stereotypes exist is because there is always SOME truth to them, since that’s the only way stereotypes can come about. At the end of the day, stereotypes are the first thing we see in a person, and try as we might, we cannot shake that impression off, with the movie’s ending seeing the characters come to terms with their labels. The text itself shows a crystal clear example of this. Nowhere is it specified which character aligns with which label, bit we automatically are able to work it out, simply due to the innate nature of stereotyping. The text and movie also mark one of the first times mental health in teenagers was explored in a major Hollywood production, and by having the characters accept who they are for what it is and come to embrace it, it offers a reassuring message to a disgruntled generation.
The Breakfast Club may be a product of its time. The era of Reagan was a time of low taxes and social conservatism, which served as a catalyst for the angst and rebellion of teenagers as seen through The Breakfast Club. Be it through its fashion, humour, soundtrack, or racial inclusion, there’s no denying the fact that it feels dated. It may not be the most politically correct, and a modern remake would be sure to include a black, Asian, and gay character. However, I wouldn’t change the original film even the slightest bit, and I think that sums up my views on identity and representation. I don’t consume texts because the characters in it are the same skin tone as me; I consume texts that I feel I can take to heart and get something out of. The Breakfast Club is one of those texts, and for as dated and racially exclusive it is, I still love it.