High school – a time that some wish to forget and that others consider to be their glory days. While John Hughes’s 1985 classic film The Breakfast Club brings us back to those awkward days of pimples, crushes, and the cliché cliques, this film teaches us a lot about life. Here’s what you can learn from the breakfast club!
We’re all pretty bizarre
The Breakfast Club proves that no one can be completely defined by a stereotype. All too often people are told who they are by stereotypes that are assigned to them. In this movie, we see the brain, Brian Johnson (Anthony Hall), is much more than the smart kid; he is funny, charming, and has his super dorky yet kind of cute moments. All too often, stereotypes are too shallow to fully capture the depth of people. People will surprise you, so be on the lookout for that surprise. No one likes to think that they can be categorized into a single stereotype, so why believe that other people are one dimensional? That quiet kid in the corner may just be the funniest person you have ever met!
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When you grow up, your heart dies
The Breakfast Club gives us an insight on the importance of time. It only took nine hours for a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal to realize that they are all so much more than their labels. These detention-ers give us the insight that we don’t have to become our parents; we have the power to believe in a different world. What would happen if right this moment we realized how much power we possess? If we stop judging the book by its cover and begin to understand each other, our future will not reflect that of our parents’. We can break the cycle of abuse and pressure and take full control of our lives. The future is ours for the taking!
Screws fall out all the time; the world is an imperfect place
The Breakfast Club opens us up to real world problems that so many people face. Johnson brings a flare gun to school due to the pressure of being the best. Bender lives in an abusive house. Andrew feels like a disappointment to his father. Everyone is fighting a battle that they don’t express on their face. The world is a messy place. Life is complicated and does not come with how-to guide. Know that everyone is fighting battles that you may now even know about. Accept other people and their imperfections and their stories, for your screws are destined to fall out as well.
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Physics club is social too
Never be afraid to try something new just because you think that it is not your style. Leaving your comfort zone is the best way to grow as a person. Just as you shouldn’t let stereotypes define you, don’t allow your interests to define you either. It would be unfortunate to allow your perceptions of what people are thinking to define how you feel. If there is something that you want to try, throw your hands up in the air, say “What the heck?” and go for it. To Claire, physics club was more geeky than social, but to Brian, it was a way to connect with people with similar interests. Go out and do that thing that you are afraid to try because you are afraid of what people think about it. Never let what anyone thinks, or what you believe they think, keep you from living your life.
Making lamps does not define intelligence
One of the most profound moments of the movie comes when Bender forces us to question whether being able to pound out some complicated physics equations proves higher intelligence than being able to make a functional lamp. What is the definition of “smart”? The Breakfast Club shows us that it doesn’t matter what you are good at, as long as you find passion in something. This world needs accountants, doctors, teachers, mothers, truck drivers, garbage men, and every other occupation. Enhance this world with your passions and interests and never let anyone make you feel insignificant.
Photo Credits:
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http://weheartit.com/entry/34932876
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