The teenager High School film generally tries to deal with at least one, usually several, issues facing teenagers. By examining two of John Hughes" films The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, we can get a better understanding of why teenagers relate so well to these films, why they use stereotypical characters, and why they continue to use these characters. .
The well-done High School films influenced teenagers for many years after they are made and became a part of youth culture while simultaneously putting it on display and sometimes making fun of what teenagers do. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, for example, was popular in "82 and still currently "supplies high school kids with dialogue for those in-between times" (Cohen 53). The film will always be popular among teenagers because of the very relatable characters. The characters are relatable for the mere reason that they are so stereotypical. Teenagers can put themselves into the film because there is usually always someone that is like them or someone they know or there is a situation that is similar to what they have gone through. To examine on why a teenager can relate to such films and stereotypical characters one must first look at the teenagers" culture of itself.
DeMarris and Lecompte, two well known anthropologists, state "that culture includes the beliefs, attitudes, values, and behavior patterns of a group of people." (86). So what does this mean in terms of a teenager? Anthropologists and sociologists have long argued over the existence of youth culture. Although, since children grow up and become adults, they cease to be a part of that culture, and as a result, youth culture has no real shape or definition since its members are constantly changing (deMarrais and LeCompte 87). However, it is possible to move into .
and out of cultures, as long as one obtains the particular characteristics required for a specific culture.