"The Breakfast Club" Character Analysis

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In the movie The Breakfast Club, five seemingly different adolescents are assigned Saturday detention where they learn that although they each fit a particular stereotype, they all have the same characteristics, but they are expressed differently because they have different experiences, strengths and weaknesses that makes them who they are. In the movie, Bender is the “criminal”, Brian is the “brain” and Allison is the “psychopath.” Each of their situations, strengths and weakness are similar to students that are in our classrooms currently or we may have in our classrooms in the future. For each student it is important to understand their learning differences and as a teacher, how I can use their strengths to help them become successful students. At first glance, Bender appears as a rebel, someone who enjoys questioning authority and enjoys putting others in uncomfortable situations. As his story unfolds, the audience learns of the abuse and violence that occurs at Bender’s home. Looking at students like Bender it is important to remember that there is a cause for their behavior. To prevent the behavior from escalating, as it did in Bender’s case, it is important to look for the cause of the behavior, whether it is a learning disability that causes the behavior or abuse that causes the inappropriate behavior. In Bender’s case, if an adult had taken the time to understand the cause of his behavior, instead of punishing him with Saturday detention, his behavior would probably not become as extreme. Most likely, no adult took the time or Bender did not feel comfortable sharing his home life with any adults in the school. In addition to being aware of why a student is behaving the way they are, building relationships wi... ... middle of paper ... ...the rock cycle would build upon her strength of creativity. Using Allison’s strengths and interests is important to helping her become a successful student. This is the method of helping Bender, Brian and any other student become successful in school. Building on the student strengths, while allowing them to work on their weaknesses is important for all students and especially for twice-exceptional students in the classroom. When looking at the student’s weakness it is important to understand that their behavior is not a weakness, but a result of an underlying cause. Examining the cause of the behavior will help recognize the challenge areas for improvement by understanding the underlying cause for the behavior. After understanding the student’s strengths and challenges, the teachers can then fully help the student learn to the best of their abilities.

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