Extended Essay

Subject: Film
Topic: John Hughes Impact on Teen Film
Candidate # 003947-0030

Redefining a Genre: John Hughes Portrayal of Capitalism, Marxism, and Feminism

Through Characters in Teen Film
Emma Sullivan

Abstract
This extended essay examines three of American auteur director John Hughes 1980s cult
classic films Pretty in Pink, Ferris Buellers Day Off, and The Breakfast Club, analyzing the
social implications presented by the teenage characters, and the significance of their
representation of societal problems. The aim of this investigation is to reveal the impact of John
Hughes work and portrayal of social issues on the genre of teen film, guided by the research
question: How has John Hughes' portrayal of social issues through characters helped
redefine and validate the teen film genre? In order to complete this investigation, research
was conducted on each of the three chosen films and the roles of Feminism, Classicism, and
stereotypes, respectively, and the effects of their portrayal. A second wave of research was
conducted on the influence of John Hughes films and his subliminal commentary on issues
faced by society and how they are approached in film. The research determined that John Hughes
used the characters in these films to portray aspects of societal issues and ultimately, this use of
characters allowed him, through his films, to criticize societys approach to social issues in film
and tainted perception of teenagers and the problems that they face. The final conclusion reached
in this essay is that John Hughes use of characters to portray social issues and movements
allowed him to create a subliminal critique of society through film and simultaneously force teen
problems to be recognized as legitimate, helping validate the position of teenagers in film as well
as the teen film genre.

Word Count: 258

Table of Contents
Background

Research Question

Introduction

Discussion of John Hughes Characters

Pretty in Pink Through Feminist Lens

Social Hierarchy and Stereotypes in The Breakfast Club

Counterargument: Analysis of The Goonies and St. Elmos Fire

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Refutal to Counterargument

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Evaluation of John Hughes Impact on the Teen Film Genre

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Conclusion

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Bibliography

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John Hughes' Portrayal of Feminism, Marxism, and Social Stereotypes in Teen Film

BACKGROUND
John Hughes is a famed American filmmaker and auteur, known for his incomparable
cult classic films of the 1980s. Hughes is known for his remarkable influence on the portrayal of
teens in cinema and the teen film genre, also referred to as coming-of-age. Hughes works
focused on unique, individualistic, and primarily teen characters faced with problems commonly
associated with teenagers, and frequently examined heavier topics that were forbidden from
discussion and considered taboo in teen film. Hughes created characters and situations that
surpassed all dimensions of age groups, allowing people from various generations to relate to
and enjoy his films. Hughes ability to capture the essence and complexity of teenage life,
combined with his genuinely rare and relatable characters is ultimately what catalyzed the
transformation of his films into cult classics and his international regard as an exemplary writer,
director, and ultimately his label of auteur. His films exceptional ability to confront the
problems so frequently ignored in both society and cinema is arguably the aspect of his work that
led to his revolution of the teen film genre and his unparalleled impact on the perception and
portrayal of teenagers in cinema.

Research Question: How has John Hughes' portrayal of social issues through characters
redefined the teen film and contributed to its validation as a genre?

INTRODUCTION
John Hughes' films broke the unspoken rules of the teen film genre, changing the way

teens were perceived, forcing audiences to accept teen problems as legitimate by portraying them
as such. Hughes treated teen problems as serious and pressing issues, rather than mocking them
or dismissing them as trivial matters, as is frequently done in the realm of cinema, especially so
in teen films. The serious approach taken to teen problems gave teens a voice in film, providing
validity for them in society as well. Hughes ability to address the important yet commonly
ignored problems of teenagers separates his work from the rest of the teen film genre, allowing
him to create his own legacy in cinema as well as contribute to the revolution of the genre. By
exploring genuine teen problems, John Hughes work as a writer and director advanced the
perception of teen characters by developing them with an authentic depth that provided them
with a voice in film. It is this progressive characterization of teens that allowed his films to gain
cultural resonance with teenagers and adults alike and influence the coming of age genre and the
representation of teenagers in film.
Film is often considered to be a reaction to societal issues, which, despite being present
and faced from a young age, are often dismissed as trivial when associated with children and
teenagers, revealing the ageist tendencies of Hollywood cinema. These social problems are
legitimized almost exclusively in the adult world and typically ignored or evaluated superficially
when explored through younger characters in film. Addressing profound issues of social
importance, like Feminism, Marxism and Classicism, and stereotyping is considered off-limits
in the realm of film politics, parallel to the ignorance often expressed towards these issues when
explored in society. By expressing these illegal issues through teen characters in his films, John
Hughes suggests that the problems our society recognizes as being faced only by adults actually
present themselves far earlier in life. Additionally, making the connection between social
problems of the adult world and teen characters allows the audience to learn to associate these

problems with generations other than simply adults. By showcasing how these problems are
faced by and impact teenagers, Hughes encourages his audience to delve deeper into the reality
of societal issues and where they originate, as well as when they begin to present themselves.
Adolescence is considered to be the most crucial stage of development, identified as the fifth
stage of Erik Eriksons stages of psychosocial development, commonly referred to as Identity.
This stage of development marks the beginning of an individuals search for identity, when
children first grapple with the concepts of independence and individualism. In this stage,
children are largely influenced by their childhood, upbringing, and life experiences, confounded
by the world surrounding them. In the adolescent stage, individuals become more aware of their
surroundings and begin to interact with the world, first beginning to face the social interactions
and issues they are already accustomed to, unknowingly being exposed to them their entire lives.
Highlighted by the known substantial influence of environment on the psyche and behavior of
children and adolescents, by displaying social issues that we consider to be problems of the adult
world as problems for high school students, Hughes argues that these problems are not only not
exclusive to adulthood, but that they are in fact imposed upon the younger generation from birth.
In films The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Pretty in Pink, John Hughes
uses teen characters as indirect reflections of social issues to bring attention to underlying
problems in society and revolutionize the portrayal of teenage problems in film.
DISCUSSION OF JOHN HUGHES CHARACTERS
John Hughes' development of characters allows them to simultaneously exemplify and
exploit stereotypes of teenagers and the struggles they grapple with, allowing him to create a
raw, unbiased perception of teens in film while also addressing and providing critique on serious
social issues in teen film. The characters in Hughes films face analogous inner conflict of

identity vs. confusion, as outlined by Eriksons stage of psychosocial development, Adolescence.

As Eriksons stages elucidate, spanning from childhood to adolescence, the psyche and identity
of the individual is the most vulnerable, being as the individual and their identity are in their
most impressionable period. Individuals are influenced both directly and subliminally, by their
surrounding environment, familial and social interactions, and observations of social norms and
behavioral conduct. By expressing acknowledged and recognizable societal problems that plague
the adult world through teenaged characters, Hughes implies that the values that fuel these social
issues are imposed also upon adolescents and children, and furthermore begin to present
themselves far earlier than society willingly accepts or even realizes.
Pretty in Pink THROUGH A FEMINIST LENS
John Hughes films often rely on their characters to portray aspects of problems in
society, using these characters as a foundation and means for social commentary. To address
societal issues in his films, Hughes regularly places concentration on and develops a single
character to aid in their representation of a particular issue or movement. In his debut film as a
screenwriter, Pretty in Pink, he uses the main character Andie and her quasi-maternal figure Iona
to conjunctively express motifs associated with Feminism and the postfeminist movement of the
1980s. In the film, Feminism is represented through the individual characters of Andie and Iona,
as well as their assimilated mother-daughter relationship, and the unlikely romantic relationship
that develops between Andie and Blane. The character of Iona is characterized as feminist by
expressing attributes of empowerment: confidence, independence, versatility, self-awareness, and
knowledge and assurance in womanhood. Iona is self-sufficient, expressing a lack of codependency and need to be in a relationship, as female characters are often represented in film.
Her characters concrete identity and individuality allow her to represent Feminism via the lack

of effect and impression of society on her characters personality and independence. She
expresses both confidence and versatility through fashion, sporting a different aesthetic, style, or
themed outfit every day and never wavering in her certainty of her choices. In addition, her
character is immune to the judgment of others, unaffected by their opinions of her. Expressing
neither distinctly feminine or masculine traits, Iona exudes feminism through her androgyny as
well. Her influence on Andie reveals itself in various aspects, motivating Andies own
embodiment and representation of feminism later in the film. Showcased by Andie and Iona is
the display of Feminism through fashion, in which feminist values like individuality and selfexpression are conveyed as sartorial statements. Iona is a non-traditional mother figure as well
for Andie, providing an example of an empowered and successful woman for Andie and acting as
a mentor in place of the mother figure she no longer has. Iona is characterized as independent
and self-aware and is portrayed as a power figure without being represented as bossy or
misandristic, demonstrating the essence of feminist values and principles and serving as the
foundation for Andie's self-actualization and portrayal of feminism later in the movie. Andie
displays feminism through her self-acceptance and awareness, and her independence in her
relationship with Blane. Following the example of Iona, Andie uses fashion to express her
individuality and simultaneously strive for self-actualization. Through her acceptance and proud
expression of herself, Andie is able to overcome her systematic oppression of gender and class,
allowing her to reach self-actualization. Andies journey to awareness and achievement of selfactualization allow her to be independent of the stereotypes she is degraded by in society and
progress into a healthy, successful relationship with Blane. Her ability to be in an equivocal
relationship with Blane, who is of higher social standing and economic class, demonstrates how
feminism provides Andie with the ability to move beyond generalizations placed on her by a

patriarchal society, and unlocks her strength and aptitude in awareness and identity. In the
collaborative Hughes-Ringwald films, class and gender struggle are consistently represented by
Molly Ringwald's characters, fueling the replacement of misogynistic portrayals of shallow
female characters with progressive portrayals of complex and self-aware roles for women in
film. In addition, the portrayal of class struggle becomes the foundation for the advancement of
the secondary romantic plot of the film, making the depiction of class struggle subliminal, as an
underlying factor of Andies systemic oppression. The multifaceted oppression of Andies
character enhances the depth of her development as a character and highlights the value of her
empowerment and self-discovery. Ringwald's characters frequently face diverse forms of
oppression and follow similar journeys to self-awareness and actualization, allowing Hughes to
use her characters as catalysts for creating powerful and in-depth female roles in cinema and
especially coming of age films. The diversity of the expression of feminism through Molly
Ringwald's characters contributes to John Hughes' subliminal criticism of social structures and
stereotypes through complex teenaged characters in film.
SOCIAL HIERARCHY AND STEREOTYPES IN The Breakfast Club
Arguably John Hughes most famous work, The Breakfast Club successfully employs
stereotypes in its development of characters, exploring the detrimental effects of generalizations
and the exploitation of teenagers in film. Each of the five main characters represent a different
stereotype in society, and the combined presence of them in one room allows Hughes to examine
the effects of stereotypes and class distinctions on social interactions. The strangers are friends
for one day, but each admit that they will likely never speak to one another after that day. The
stereotypes revealed by their assigned names of princess, jock, brain, basket case, and criminal
are used as labels which define not only themselves and their identity, but their place in society -

and none of them even question this arrangement until placed together in a climactically truthful
and honest discussion. Their initial difficulty in interacting with one another reveals the deep
social divide created by stereotypes and how these ideas not only present themselves in high
school, but are ingrained in children before the time they reach high school, as affirmed by
societal reinforcement of labels, profiling, and a system of discrimination based on this.
John Hughes' commentary on social problems via teen characters has redefined the teen
film by giving depth and substance to an otherwise superficial genre of film. The exponential
success of The Breakfast Club is signified by its wide influence on film and television in the 80s
and continuing through modern day. It is widely recognized as an influential and classic teen
film, often praised for its depiction of teen angst and high school politics, which ultimately
contribute to Hughes' commentary and criticism of social stereotypes. The Breakfast Club is
arguably the single most influential film of its decade, and certainly the Hughes film that
contributed most to the legitimization of teen film as a genre.
COUNTERARGUMENT: PRE AND POST TEEN FILMS
Hughes work highlights the importance of characters in film through developing them
extensively and expressing how they are faced with and represent the issues of their society.
Other filmmakers both within and outside the boundaries of teen film often take a different
approach to characterization and the exploration of societal issues in film. Typical to the genre of
teen film, characters are often under-developed and express themselves through a limited and
superficially charged platform that only allows them to represent the traits they are stereotyped
with, and eliminates the possibility for valuable social commentary.
PRE-TEEN FILM: The Goonies
Pre-teen film, which portrays teens in a different way and addresses social issues more

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cautiously. Characters and their predicaments are portrayed in a comedic light, making the issues
addressed seem less serious. Characters in pre-teen films are identified with stage 4 of Erikson's
stages of psychosocial development: childhood. In this stage, children develop either pride or
doubt in themselves via social interactions and comparisons to others, beginning to focus on their
own skills and achieving goals. Children of this age face the crisis of a developing identity and
worldview, but the problematic situations that arise from these are not typically acknowledged,
rather, they are dismissed as being trivial and unimportant, not even worth acknowledgement.
POST-TEEN FILM: St. Elmos Fire
This is a post-teen film, in which a much more serious approach is taken to social issues
than is taken with teen film. Characters are taken more seriously and their problems are not
addressed as being trivial or unimportant in the way that teen problems are often dismissed.
There is a lack of comedic relief and an emphasized presentation of "real world" struggles.
Characters in these films are classified as being in stage 6 of Erikson's stages of psychosocial
development: early adulthood. Upon the arrival of this stage, people have a definitive and secure
sense of identity, and are now able to begin exploring and creating deeper relationships with
other people. This is well represented by the concept of friendship community, as demonstrated
by the close friends in St. Elmo's Fire.
REFUTAL TO COUNTERARGUMENT
John Hughes uses his characters to represent social issues, allowing portrayal of
the legitimacy of teen problems. Teen problems are equated to social problems, thus affiliating
teens with "real" issues and the "real" world. This gives teens a sort of validation in society, and
provides an acknowledgement of the seriousness of the social catastrophe the world lives with
and ignores. By expressing real and serious social problems through teenage characters, Hughes

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reveals that teens face the same problems we recognize as "real-world" or "adult" problems.
Further, he reveals that the problems recognized in the adult world are not adult problems at all,
but problems that begin far earlier than we as a society acknowledge - making the important
implication that the fundamental problems of our society are faced even by teens, who are in
what Erikson describes as the most influential and crucial stage of psychosocial development:
adolescence.
EVALUATION OF JOHN HUGHES IMPACT ON THE TEEN FILM GENRE
John Hughes uses his characters to represent social issues, allowing portrayal of
the legitimacy of teen problems. Teen problems are equated to social problems, thus affiliating
teens with "real" issues and the "real" world. This gives teens a sort of validation in society, and
provides an acknowledgement of the seriousness and a tone of gravity towards the social
catastrophe that is prevalently ignored in the world. By expressing real and serious social
problems through teenage characters, Hughes reveals that teens face the very same problems that
are often recognized or referred to as being counterparts of the real or adult world. Further, he
exposes that the problems recognized in the adult world are not distinctly adult problems at all,
but rather problems that begin far earlier than we as a society acknowledge--making the
implication that the fundamental problems of our society are most certainly faced by, and
evidently detrimental to teenagers, who are in what Erikson describes as the most influential and
crucial stage of psychosocial development: adolescence.
John Hughes work in expressing the coming-of-age narrative is unprecedented and as a
result it has allowed for teen film to be taken seriously. Addressing serious issues of expansive
influence is arguably the single multi-faceted characteristic that makes Hughes films a standout
in being relatable and relevant, which allows them to have an actual, and rather remarkable

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impact. A large component of Hughes' films are their thoughtful and comprehensive
interpretation and following portrayal of the problems of the American teenager; which as he
displays in his exceptionally developed characters, are no different in nature or severity than the
problems faced by adults in society. Confronting real and pressing issues in teen comedies
additionally contributes to the validation the genre of teen film, proving that teenage characters
can be used to provide reputable social commentary just as well as, possibly even more so, than
adult characters. This establishes the teen film as a platform for teens and adults to be viewed in
equation, meaning that teens are presented and described in the same serious tone that an adult
would be, further defying the existing boundaries of the teen character and the teen film in the
overarching realm of cinema.
CONCLUSION
With his unique an unwavering revolutionary representation of teenagers in film,
Hughes work opens the door for teen films to be able to address and portray serious,
controversial issues and provide authentic commentary on them. Hughes' films show that it is
indeed possible to produce consistent cult classics and teen films with genuine impact and
substance in character, concept, and situations and issues examined in the interaction of these
pivotal components of film and their development. that are not just romance comedies. Hughes
redefines the teen film genre by rejecting the norms and regulations of the romance comedy
often equated with the genre and instead using comedy as a means for subliminal commentary on
the downfalls and problems of the complex society in which we live. The pre-Hughes teen film
follows a definitive structure, with much of the plot and its little development based on genre
distinctions of light-hearted comedy and clichd romance. It was more than rare for a film with
teenage characters to portray issues faced by teens as anything less than superficial, and even less

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common to depict teen issues in a respectable or serious manner. To this extent, Hughes' dual
incorporation of mature comedy and romance and his steadfast confrontation and portrayal of
genuinely critical social problems - including sexism, stereotypes, and class struggle - is the
source of the depth his work brings to the teen film genre and the basis of his contribution to the
revolution of teen film.

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HughesFilms."CinemaJournal:2444.Print.
"TheBreakfastClubLegacy."Tribunedigitalthecourant.24Mar.1999.Web.19Apr.2015.
Gora,Susannah.YouCouldn'tIgnoreMeIfYouTried:TheBratPack,JohnHughes,andTheir
ImpactonaGeneration.NewYork:Crown,2010.Print.
"JohnHughesMayBeontoSomething:AntiAuthoritarianisminEducation,Film,andPolicy."
IndianaJournalofPoliticalScience13(2011):6775.Print.
Cherry,Kendra."Erikson'sTheoryofPsychosocialDevelopment."AboutEducation.Web.17
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The Breakfast Club, Universal Pictures. 1985. Film.
Pretty in Pink. Paramount Pictures, 1986. Film.

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