Many teenage films seek to answer the all important question, “who am I?”

In all films characters go through an arc of development, often in high school dramas characters go through a clear rites of passage to discover their identity. Teen movies often illustrate the transformation from youth to adolescent. There is often a foremost issue in which the character has to resolve to gain respect and maturity. This includes obstacles such as: peer/ parent relationships, sex, love and their search for their own identity. “Who am I?” This is a question that characters have to ask themselves before they can amend their childish ways. Some films have a more obvious arc of development than others; some may argue that a number of films have no means of passage, that a character does not depict any signs of development or seek for individuality. However in my opinion there is always a change, even if the characters themselves do not go through a physical change in appearance/ personality, they always acknowledge their own identity but if they choose to change for the better or not is what we have to take into consideration. I am going to be discussing the social context in which youth transform into far more established characters in the films: The breakfast club, St Trinian’s, Juno, and Mean girls. All movies are high school dramas however where produced in different times, have teenagers changed in the last few decades? Do all characters seek the answer of the question “who am I?”

‘The breakfast club’ written, directed and produced by John Hughes, shows a defined transformation within all characters, the movies message is not to stereotype people. What someone may first appear to be like is not necessarily who they are. In ‘The breakfast club’ the students are asked to write a letter on “who you think you are” within the course of the day the students learn the truth about one another and themselves. They realise that they all have issues which they have to conquer for example: Dysfunctional families, parent and friendship pressures which drive them all to a place of negative identity. Brian (the geek) is depended on to write a letter from them all “Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was that we did wrong...and what we did was wrong, but we think you're crazy to make us write this essay telling you who we think we are. What do you care? You see us as you want to see us... in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. Correct? That's the way we saw each other at seven o'clock this morning. We were brainwashed. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.” Throughout the film each student set off on a journey in search for their own identity, there are many barricades in which the students have to endure but at the end they emerge as an individual. This is the transformation of youth to adolescent; they all have matured in some way or another. The basket case becomes aware of her own identity mentally and physically, her change in appearance creates a character who now is content with herself and her own identity. In contrast the Princess goes through a less obvious arc of development. Recognising that she does not need to follow the crowd, within the day she falls for the criminal who is from an out group. However she may not change her ways when she is back at school, but she has still gone through a change, she now acknowledges that everyone has their own problems and identity.

In the 2007 making of ‘St Trinian’s’ the main character Annabelle Fritton goes through a change in appearance and perception. At the beginning of the movie she had no identity or no sense of belonging. However she has a realisation that her father doesn’t really care for her, after she admits this to herself she appreciates that there are people who care for her. St Trinian’s become her home and family. There are several arcs of development within this film, the first of which is her being accepted by the others. Here she has to overcome the obstacles they put in her way and show no defeat. Next it’s her appearance “you’ve had this coming since the day you arrived.... Give you a makeover silly.” At this point in the film it reflects her acceptance by the other students. Here her appearance changes and she finds her own identity “how do you feel?” “Like St Trinian” this reveals her accepting her parent relationship and her establishment of peer relationships, this makes the audience believe she is the next head girl. In contrast ‘Juno’ is a movie about a girl finding herself, “I don’t really know what kind of girl I am” she gets pregnant and decides that adoption is the most sensible root. Over the next nine months she begins to understand the complexity of adult relationships and “dealing with things way above my maturity level.” In addition she transforms from a careless teenager to an adult within the 9 months, and after the birth of her child she gives it to a woman who cannot conceive a child. Following this she realises her love for her best friend and the father (Paulie Bleaker.)

‘Mean girls’ stars Lindsey Lohan as the new girl Cady, only ever been home educated Cady is unaware of the Cliques and stereotypes within American schools. When she firsts arrives she is unprepared for public school life however she is befriended by 2 social outcasts Damien “his almost too gay to function” and Janis. Cady is then made aware of all the social cliques within high school, the in-group known as the ‘Plastics’ asks Cady to join them, after this she is stuck between the two groups. Cady no longer has an identity, and the more she revenges Regina the more she becomes one of them. From Cady becoming the ‘new Queen B’ she realises what she has become. The whole school goes through a rites of passage, this is when they all apologise for being dishonest and deceitful friends. However Cady’s main arc of development is at prom this is the definitive narrative conclusion, where Cady finds her search of identity, becomes a friend to Damien and Janis again. Therefore from tackling the obstacles of High school life such as: peer/teacher and parent relationships she finds who she really is and gains respect and maturity.

Within High school Drama’s there are always rites of passage, characters gain respect and maturity and experience the change from youth to adolescent, some characters more so than others. Teenagers from High school dramas of the 20^th century such as ‘The breakfast club’ are faced with similar problems such as: peer/parent pressures and the search of identity, as the teenagers modern movies such as ‘Juno’ however situations within films of the 21^st century have changed for example Juno reflects teen pregnancy this would not be seen in a later movie as teen pregnancy is a recent situation within this century. Therefore in my opinion teenagers are always the same; faced with stress and situations which they have to overcome to find there identity but the obstacles they face change depending on history and the present real life situations.