preview

The Breakfast Club Movie Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document

The Breakfast Club, produced in 1985, is a famous film about five strangers who at first glance, seem to all be extremely different. Commonly referred to as “the criminal, the princess, the brain, the athlete, and the basketcase,” the students all have distinct personas. However, as the movie progresses, they discover they all have much more in common than they had previously thought. As a former high school student, the concept of the movie is relatively familiar to me. Communicating between strangers, bonding with other students much different from yourself, and forming of new friendships are all situations I have witnessed firsthand. Throughout the movie, communication and the formation of relationships prove to be main focal points. …show more content…

The orientation stage is exemplified is when the students are introduced to each other in the first few minutes of detention. Rather than simply engaging in small talk, the characters attempt to speak in a manner that they feel will be viewed favorably by others, whether that is through “good behavior” or “bad behavior.” Soon following the orientation stage, the students become slightly more comfortable with each other, transitioning into the exploratory stage. When discussing what each of them would do for a million dollars, they slowly disclose more and more information about themselves and begin to develop a casual friendship. However, personal issues and information are consistently withheld. The students have not yet reached the level of trust required. However, not long after, the students discuss each other's family situations. Bender even mentions the abuse he faces from his father. This disclosure of personal information signals the affective stage of the Social Penetration Theory. By revealing these parts of themselves, the students are able to gain a better understanding of where they all come from and their personal lives. They disclose personal information because they begin to develop trust and comfort. Lastly, the students successfully reach the stable stage when Allison receives a makeover. Throughout the entire movie, Allison is extremely reserved. She now shows enough trust in

Get Access