Teenage Self Conflicts

662 Words2 Pages

During the adolescent stage of life, Hamlet and Rebel without a Cause show examples of how both Hamlet and Jim are being pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires. Both pieces help to give an understanding to the audience of the teenager under the dilemmas of self- conflict. Both pieces give evidence of goes in on the inside of the teenage brain as the teen feels a struggle with himself over a conflict, especially when the parents attempt to give help. Throughout the film and text, it can be seen that teens are harshly affected by the dilemmas of conflict, which is only amplified through the parents’ attempted guidance over the teenagers. The teenager has only some understanding of what it is like to be an adult because the teenager has only some understanding of what means to be an adult. Parents attempt to step in, to attempt to help guide the teenager through self confliction which leads to conflict between the parent and teenager based on two different desires that are being lead in two different directions.

Throughout the age of adolescence, both teenager and parent feel misguided as conflicts arise between both of them as the stages of adolescence increase over the following years. Teens often voice the words of "There's no point in talking to you: you do not understand me. You do not even know me (Apter, 2013)." The article from Psychology today.com speaks of what is occurring between the parent and the offspring going through the stages of adolescence. The article points out valuable points of information as the public looks into the lives of both Hamlet and Jim Stark and see as well as think of how both teens feel as conflicts are brought up between parent and adolescent (Apter,2013). For example, the ar...

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...ult of places to be in this life because on one hand you crave the freedom and respect that comes from a peer amongst those with interesting thoughts and ideas. On the other hand, you are angry at the new demands on your responsibility plate. Teenagers are now required to master much more difficult educational standards then they ever have before, and they are expected to have a plan, and be a ‘well rounded’ child in order to get into college. There is a lot of pressure and stress put on teens, in order to do well in order to make families happy as families often expect teenagers to do more work in order to attempt and work at succeeding to make themselves a big success.

Works Cited

Apter, Terri. "Teens and Parents in Conflict." Psychologytoday. Sussex Publishers, 2013. Web.
08 Nov. 2013.
M, Angelica. "The Inner Conflict." Teen Ink. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2013.

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