Breakfast Club Stereotypes

Lost and Found

From the moment we start school, we are told to act a specific way, be a certain person, and do certain things to pave a path for who we are to become. In some cases, the way we act, the things we do, and the people we surround ourselves with during our school years cause us to be placed into a certain stereotype. The Breakfast Club, directed by John Hughes, Don’t You Forget About Me, written by Keith Forsey and Barbie Doll, written by Marge Piercy all give extremist views on the dangers of stereotypes. In The Breakfast Club, Andy, Allison, Bender, Brian, and Claire spend a whole day together projecting their own selves only to decide to leave each other behind for their own cliques. Don’t You Forget About Me is a mantra, telling

Claire says during one scene in the film how she is “so popular… everybody loves me at this school” (Ringwald, “The Breakfast Club”); she goes on to mention how she hates following what her popular friends do and say. Brian explains his parents’ fury over the F he has in his woodshop class. The beginning of the film shows us Brian’s mother, who tells him that he should find a way to study while he’s in detention. Andy references his father’s need for him to be a winner on his high school wrestling team, and that his victories are all his dad cares about. Andy goes onto say how he wishes his knee would give, and quotes, “I wouldn’t be able to wrestle anymore. And then [my father] would forget all about me” (Estevez, “The Breakfast Club”). The tone in Andy’s voice is sincere, as if he really wants this to happen so he won’t be his father’s puppet anymore; his identity crisis would be resolved, and he could go be his own person and not worry about his school

The bridge, “Will you recognize me// Call my name or walk on by me?” (Forsey, “Don’t Forget Me”) is related to the movie directly. This particular lyric in the song addresses a scene in the movie where Brian asks the group what will happen the following Monday after Saturday detention, and if they will still be friends. Claire berates him for bringing up the question, and tells him that as much as they say how they’re going to want to be friends after detention, their stereotypes won’t allow it. The ending of the movie coincides with the ending lyrics of the song, which consists of the chorus and the repetition of the lyric “As you walk on by// Will you call my name?” (Forsey, “Don’t Forget Me”). Allison and Bender are each given a memento from their significant other; as each item is given, the lyric played is that of the chorus to the song, like a final goodbye to the true person they got to know. They won’t be able to speak to each other again due to expectations and standards set by their own