Teenagers in the media are often represented as rebellious, mood driven vigilantes. But is this the reality of teenagers today? Or is this just a cruel stereotype based off a minority of teens that is affecting those who aren’t like this from getting jobs and being taken seriously in the adult world.
The common stereotype of teenagers being rebellious spirits originates from early 1950’s media such as the film ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ from 1955, where the protagonists are middle-class uncontrollable teens that have alienated themselves from their parents. More than sixty years later and this stereotype is still ever present in today’s society and has just adapted to suit modern expectations. Rather than teens wearing leather jackets and participating in drag races, they are now seen as materialistic and entitled. Teenage boys are portrayed as untrustworthy and teenage girls as promiscuous. I believe this is not accurate and I am not alone in this opinion. I asked twenty of my closest friends in an informal focus
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Teenagers are often singled out in the media to further create this dramatic stereotype that is frankly not accurate in the slightest. If you go to Google News and search ‘teens’, ‘teenagers’ or any other variation a vast amount of negative headlines revolving around drugs, alcohol, violence, sex and death drastically outweighs any positive. You have to search for a long time and on websites with teens as the intended audience to find anything positive. So if us teens are painted as drug abusing delinquents how many of us actually are? To answer this question you must look at how many teenagers are currently being held in juvenile detention and while looking at this I found that since 1981 the amount of teenagers being held in juvenile detention has dropped by 51% and is continuing to drop, proving once more that this stereotype is out-dated and
As a teenager we are all looking to be accepted by our peers and will do whatever it is they want us to so we can be accepted. That is to say the feeling of needing to be accepted by ones peers is done consciously; the person starts to do what their friends do without thinking about it. (Teen 3) In fact, teens are more likely to be affected by peer pressure because they are trying to figure out who they are. (How 1) Therefore, they see themselves as how their peers would view them so they change to fit their peer’s expectations. (How 1) Secondly, the feeling of needing to rebel and be someone that isn’t who their parents are trying to make them be affects them. (Teen 2) Thus, parents are relied on less and teens are more likely to go to their peers about their problems and what choices to make. (How 1) Also, their brains are not fully matured and teens are less likely to think through their choices thoroughly before doing it. (Teen 6) Lastly, how a child is treated by his peers can affect how they treat others; this can lead them into bullying others who are different. (Teen 3) Consequently this can affect a teen into doing something good or bad; it depends who you surround yourself with.
also be seen in other films such as 'Save the last dance' as the white
In the movie Rebel Without a Cause, the characters portray many characteristics of a teenager living in the Atomic Age post World War II as well as modern day society; with little guidance it appears the youth of America feels lost and alone. This movie was released in 1955 and was recorded in California. This was the last film that James Dean ever starred in; which was a devastating blow to such a blossoming young man’s career and superstardom.
The 1955 film, Rebel Without a Cause is a seminal film for its period, not for its cinematic or literary excellence, but for what it conveyed to post-war adolescents embarking on a trajectory of shifting social mores, namely a paean for emotional expression and acceptance of social outcasts. The story fearlessly exposes elements of the dreaded rebellious adolescent; an age group alienated by parents and family, seeking greater meaning and value through questionable means, lacking confidence, and only acquiring validation and acceptance from peers. The writer/director of the film seems to take the point of view of a juvenile delinquent, constructing a sympathetic portrait of maladjusted youth rather than that of standard 1950’s middle class adults. The story does not condemn nor promote the wild behavior it depicts, but rather holds it up to an ambilivent kind of scrutiny. Subjected to widespread censorship, the film was daring for its time for failing to uphold production code standards in its representation of criminal behaviors that go unpunished. More importantly, Rebel Without a Cause struck a chord for many teenagers who were moved by honest depictions of irreverent adolescents empowered to stand up against the hypocrisy of an older generation. The story models a level of compassion and sensitivity for the human condition that allows the viewer to question social prejudices of the time and the moral courage it takes to face down those prejudices.
Throughout time, generations have been exposed to the theme of teenagers rebelling in literature, films, and music. Teenagers rebelling is a topic that everyone can relate to because of the pressure that comes with being a teenager. During this time, teenagers are being given rules to follow, expectations to meet, and society telling them what they need to do to make their lives meaningful. The exposure to rebelling themes in the media is presenting them with messages to relate to, and can even showcase the consequences that will come with their actions.
In a modern age where the media retains a strong influence on the general population, many youths across the globe are feeling the effects of being misrepresented by media. The characteristics often forwarded by media frequently links youths with that of criminals and gangs. Similarly, depictions of teenagers being ignorant and haughty is now a widespread stereotype. These inaccurate depictions, which are sometimes taken for granted, are causing detrimental damages to the lives of youths and their futures as members of society. Despite the media’s likelihood to portray modern youths negatively, evidence suggests the opposite; that modern youths are in fact responsible,
opinions from both sides of the argument. I aim to understand and perhaps validate the reasons why young teenagers feel
Adolescents are known for, or rather stereotyped as, having rebellious tendencies. These tendencies are explored in films, novels, television shows, and even studies conducted by professors and researchers worldwide. Teenage angst has been a major source of discussion for before 1595 with the publication of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Rebel Without a Cause, released in 1955, exemplifies this topic being discussed in a manner that is relatable to a wide array of teenagers. Exploring this issue while also making it relatable to adolescents rather than simply a criticism of their personalities is an admirable feat, one that Rebel Without a Cause accomplishes by making use of several techniques.
Since the war in Britain the most recurrent types of moral panic has been associated with the emergence of various form of youth (originally almost exclusively working class, but often recently middle class or student based) whose behaviour is deviant or delinquent. To a greater or lesser degree, these cultures have been associated with violence. The Teddy Boys, the Mods and Rockers, the Hells Angels, the skinheads and the hippies have all been phenomena of this kind (Cohen, 2002). Youth appeared as an emergent category in post-war Britain, on one of the most striking and visible manifestations of social changes in the period. Youth...
In other industrialized nations, teenage turmoil was a fraction of that seen in the U.S. The author proposed that turmoil was the result of infantilizing- a phenomenon largely attributed to American culture. When treated like adults, teens are capable of rising to the...
Rebel Without a Cause calls attention to society’s obsession over hyper masculinity, fears of overly dominant women, homosexuality, and juvenile “delinquency” during the 1950s. Popularity of suburban life arose – along with the necessity to fit in. Accompanying the pressures of gender roles were also the rise of alcoholism, depression, anxiety, and rage. Moreover, the film explores the conflicts that lied within teenagers because of the social standards that were forced upon them.
Good parenting is one of the most important factors to well behaved teenagers. Well, in Nicholas Ray 's 1955 film Rebel without a Cause, the lack of good parenting is the underlying cause of all the major events. This movie is set in the suburbs of Los Angeles, where Jim Stark and his family just recently moved in. In order to give him a fresh start, his parents think that it’s the town is what gives him problems. It is due to this lack of good parenting that teenagers such as Jim, Judy, and Plato are so rebellious and misguided with their behavior. The opening scene of the movie has Jim, Plato, and Judy at the police station being held in custody due to their unlawful actions. When Jim’s parents show up at the police station they are not very worried about what he has done, but rather prefer argue over opposing views on how to handle the situation. In the meanwhile Judy is picked up by her mother, which only worsens her father issues. As for Plato the absence of his mother shows how there is not much care for him. Parents are usually the ones children look up to for guidance and inspiration and without them teenagers will usually spiral out of control and into many different problems.
Why do adults label teenagers as irresponsible? Surely, these older critics were much the same at our age. For example, adults presume that all teenagers are disgraceful when they are exposed to alcohol. However, with the right guidance and support, teenagers can keep within limits and celebrate special occasions with dignity and self-discipline. This is why the legal drinking age should be lowered. Additionally, no matter what laws are in place, teenagers will always drink under age: largely due to curiosity. Stories intrigue younger teenagers to experience the sensation for themselves, through their own experiences.
The survey we conducted showed that most people believed it was more common for youths in the 14 to 22 age group to use recreational drugs. This was closely followed by the 23 to 30 age group, while the 13 and under age group was considerably further behind. The survey question that followed indicated that people also believed that drug users were irresponsible and inconsiderate. This slightly supports the misconception that teens are more likely to be involved with recreational drugs.
In former times teenagers find themselves expressing who they truly are by methods society sees as rebellion or protest. The beginning of this new era of rebellion began in the 1920’s with the United States reaching their industrialized peak. This rebellion was most found in the women. Women began to see and explore new fashion and styles rather than sticking to their mother’s old school ways of dressing. Womens hem line in dresses started to become shorter and shorter inventing the modernized skirt. Society found this absurd and schools began to fill with this new idea of fashion. Moving forward into more modern years, fashion was seen everywhere throughout the United States and mainly in public schools. Students began to experiment with their limited choices of appare...