Breakfast club personality types

he Breakfast Club: A Communication Power Struggle

In the Breakfast Club viewers observe the relationships that develop and transform between five students, the assistant principal, and the school custodian. The students are all brought together against their will in a high school library to servinge detention all day on a Saturday. These students’ personalities are were all stereotypical representations of high school personality types: rebel, jock, popular girl, nerd, and artistic loner. Each of these characters interacted in varying ways within the group and towards authority. The main authority figure was Mr. Vernon, the high school assistant principal; Carl, the custodian appears to be the least important of the group, almost a background figure. The interactional view of communication pays attention to control, power, and status. Watzlawick says “symmetrical interchange is based on equal power; complementary exchange is based on differences in power” (Griffin 186). Each of these communication properties allows for different character development, and serves to make the characters more multidimensional. Neither element of communication is a cause for superiority or dominance. The communication theories of complementary and symmetrical exchanges allow for evolving relationships, and transfers of power within the plot of the film. Comment by James Cianciola: Contextualize. Comment by James Cianciola: 8. Comment by James Cianciola: 9. Comment by James Cianciola: Clever. Now, consider the “to what end” question.

The first relationship to which we are introduced is that of Mr. Richard Vernon, the assistant principle, and John Bender, the rebel. At first sight, the relationship between the two men is a model of a complementary exchange. Mr. Vernon is concerned with maintaining his control and authority over this group of miscreant teenagers. He seems to assume that Bender will be the leader of the rebellion of this group, and he initially confronts him in an attempt to assert his authority by assigning further Saturday detention. However, in this case Bender contentedly accepts Mr. Vernon’s authority, and assumes further Saturday detentions. His surface level acquiescence exemplifies the complementary exchange between the vice principal and the rebel due to the fact that Bender accepts the power difference in the form of Saturday detention. However, we do begin to suspect that while Bender may give in now, that this communication pattern will not continue as the storyline evolves. We suspect that John Bender and Vice Principle Vernon may come to butt heads as the plot continues. Comment by James Cianciola: 7. Comment by James Cianciola: 22. Comment by James Cianciola: One wonders if he seeks detentions as a means to escape his abusive homelife. Comment by James Cianciola: 27.

The relationship between Claire and Andy is exemplary of a symmetrical exchange, as it appears to be based on equal power and status. Claire is the popular girl and Andy is the wrestling jock, roughly equivalent positions in the high school hierarchy. Additionally, this social equality is mirrored by their equality in communication patterns. Due to their equal status, when Bender makes uncomplimentary remarks to Claire, Andy tells him off and defends her, and she does the same for him. Andy understands Claire and her position, and she understands the importance of being a jock. When Monday comes, Claire and Andy will continue as they always have, and their mutual status and symmetrical interchanges will remain the equivalent. Comment by James Cianciola: 7 and 20. Comment by James Cianciola: Astute observation! Comment by James Cianciola: Push here. Tease out the implications of your conclusions.