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Group Stereotypes In The Breakfast Club

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As human beings we like to do things that require minimal amounts of thought and effort. When it comes to identifying groups of people, we like to lump everyone together. This process is known as stereotyping. A stereotype is a set of characteristics attributed to all members of a specific group. The concern with stereotyping a group is that we assume that each person acts the same, ultimately resulting in the loss of each person’s individuality. As depicted in the movie The Breakfast Club, five students from different social groups are forced to spend an afternoon of detention together. As the movie progresses, the kids learn more about each other and themselves, realizing that the labels given to them by society do not define who they are as people. Each character in the movie is subjected to stereotypes. Instead of taking the time out to get to know one another, the students identify each other by the groups they belong to. Clair is seen as a princess, Brian a nerd, Allison a basket case, John a …show more content…

No matter who we are we are subjected to stereotypes. Group stereotypes exist when we label all members of the group equally. All members of the group have the same characteristics and are expected to act and behave in the same manner. When we group stereotype we take away a person’s individuality. This is a concern because not all members of the group act the same. Group stereotypes may also add unwanted pressure to us well. Having to act and behave a certain way can cause unwanted strain on us both mentally and physically. As individuals we want to belong to something but at the same time we want to keep our individuality in tact. As depicted in The Breakfast Club, five different high school students from different social groups are paired together. During their interaction with one another they begin to learn more about one another, realizing that they have more in common than what there labels

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