Stereotypes Of Adolescents In The Breakfast Club

Adolescent Development The Breakfast Club (1985), displays many stereotypes of adolescents, which are more commonly referred to as irrational teenagers. The adolescents cannot help their behaviors, to an extent, as it is all biological. They are merely trying to figure out their identities, and need to experiment with their superiors in that time. Their hormone levels are changing, helping them transition from children to adults.
Imaginary Audience
As adolescents, the group in detention all have the mentality of an imaginary audience. By thinking that the world is looking at them on a pedestal, the teenagers feel more self-conscious or feel more compelled to be noticed as if on stage (Santrock, 2008). An imaginary audience can be noticed
Juvenile delinquency is described as adolescents who, on multiple occurrences, break the law or spend time participating in illegal behavior. (Santrock, 2008). Bender pulled a fire alarm to get sentenced to detention. Considering that males are more likely to be delinquents than females, and also to have difficulties in relationships. Even between the not so close friends, Bender has trouble speaking to others in an appropriate manner. He also comes from an abusive home, and lives in a society where people doubt that he is abused (Hughes, The Breakfast Club). It’s likely he is from a lower socioeconomic status (low-SES culture), to help explain his tough and masculine attitude (Santrock, 2008), ease of accepting punishment, feeling of alienation from others, and continuing negative behavior such as marijuana use (Hughes, The Breakfast Club). Bender, however, does not show that he only can have delinquency behavior. He likely displays this behavior to help cope with internal conflicts about how to deal with his family and for attention. Bender also makes a point to get into more trouble to help the rest of the group get back to the library, and when tempted by Vernon, he knows to not talk or punch him (Hughes, The Breakfast Club), showing that he still cares for others, and potentially would like to stop his attitude and cease to be judged for some things which he cannot control. It is important that this is on multiple occasions and intentionally, not just to experiment and try to be rebellious, as all of the students smoke marijuana to “let loose” while in detention (Hughes, The Breakfast Club). While the drug use is illegal, this is not juvenile delinquency as most of them do not do this regularly, or this is their only negative behavior (Santrock,